Going Seasonal advice

[Magicot]

I just went seasonal after finishing my college program. Can anyone give me advice about what being seasonal entails. What discounts do I get, how often do I have to work (dates and hours), and specifically where do you seasonal people live when you come down to work for like a week or so?

I've heard of this one place, 'Home Suite Home.' http://homesuitehome.com/ It costs about $150 for a week stay. Anyone hear of this place?

Any words of advice are greatly appreciated! Thanks! :wave:

 

[Captain Hank]

I actually just returned to WDW for my seasonal role in merchandise. Requirements may vary from department to department, but are usually a minimum of 40 hours/year. You may or may not be required to work during a certain time period to maintain your status. Be sure to check with your department. Discounts and benefits are the same as the CP.

I'm actually writing this post from Home Suite Home right now. It's...okay. The one I'm staying at is an old Holiday Inn, and the rooms aren't in the best of shape. It's adequate, but I'm currently looking for other options in the area. Hope this helps! :wave:

 

[bathcandy]

Knights Inn

Stay at Knights in instead.
Here is a Rockyou presentation of my recent stay at HomeGhettoHome.


http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?source=ppsl&instanceid=71894189

 

[kcw]

Stay at Knights in instead.
Here is a Rockyou presentation of my recent stay at HomeGhettoHome.


http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?source=ppsl&instanceid=71894189

ok that made me sick just watching it!!!!!(

I'm seasonal and actually just booked my plane ticket and hotel to come down there end of july. i'm staying at pop century, which is definitely not $150 a week, (it was around $400 for a week), but if you find a friend who is also seasonal, plan trips down there for the same time. Then you're only paying $200 each. I know a lot of people also just stay with friends that are still living down there, but the biggest reason I didn't opt to go that route is that then you're relying on them to get you everywhere- and if your work schedules don't match up, then it's gonna be a problem. By staying at a disney hotel though, you have the transportation right there so getting to work is never a problem.... and then if you go hang out with friends while you're down there, and go somewhere other than the parks, then they can pick you up!

just as a side note, if you're looking at non-disney hotels, be wary of the ones that say they offer shuttles to the parks. When I finished my CP, i switched immediately to seasonal and stayed up there for an extra few days. I stayed in a hotel that said it offered transportation to the parks, because my car had already been picked up and was being shipped back to AZ. Well when I checked in, they gave me the shuttle schedule...... it left at about 8:30, went to Epcot only, and then there were two shuttles back, one at 6 and one and 9 I think..... so needless to say I had to take a cab to work everyday.... (including one at 5 am on the day of the disney marathon!)

and one more side note because thinking about it got me all mad again.... this hotel I stayed at- The Clarion Maingate Hotel ( near AK and the Maingate complex).... DO NOT STAY THERE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! The day of the marathon, I worked about 18 hours and so was out of my hotel room all day. I left my Do Not Disturb sign on my door because I had valuables in my room and don't like people coming in my hotel rooms anyways because I just don't trust people. haha Well the night manager and I met the night before because he is the one that arranged my cab for the next morning. And while I was gone that day, he made a new key for my room, and entered my room. Later police found out that it was because he wanted to go through my clothes and whatnot...:hurl: but while the pervert was in there he saw my laptop and decided it would be good to pawn off and get some extra money so he stole it. Well quite a while later (after the hotel would not work with me or the police, and told me that I was lying, and treated me like trash.....) the police finally figured out who it was, and got my laptop back....................... only to find out that it wouldn't turn on. He had down something to basically break it. So we took it to Data Doctors and paid $$ to have them extract the cards and information out of it........only to find out that the jerk had wiped absolutely everything of mine off and had replaced it with his own pictures and videos....

so the moral of the story is don't stay there, and TELL EVERYONE the same thing. and sorry for the rant, i'm just still pretty upset about it all.... i lost ALL my pictures from the 4 months I was up there for my CP

 

[bathcandy]

So gross!

I have a friend that brings a small table for her laptop when she travels with it and leaves the webcam on. She then makes a scrolling marquee that says in English and Spanish "All antions occuring in this room are being recorded by three cameras. One you can see and two you cannot." It has STOPPED all weirdness in any hotel she stays in.

I am at the Knights Inn right now and it is fine. Small, quiet, wireless internet, and clean. I have heard horror stories about a lot of the places on the strip, and I avoid them. I also will be looking online whenever I book a room from now on as I have seen 118 reviews on how dumpy the HomeSuiteHome is.

 

[futuredisneydj]

wow reading what all u guys wrote is crazy!! i went seasonal after my CP last year and am actually back down here now till at least the end of the summer. if you looking to come down here and stay for an extended period of time (like i said i moved back here in april and im staying till atleast sept) i highly recommend loggin onto the portal if u still have access and checking out the classifides on there. u can find other cm's who r looking for roommates and they also have ppl who r looking to rent out apts. thats how i found the place where im living now and i love it! you can email them and set up a time to meet to be sure u get along well, than u also have the advantage of knowing they r fellow CM's and to me that was reasuring. if ur only going to be coming back for a week or 2 i would reccomend staying at one of the disney hotels. i know its crazy $$$$ but like the person said be4 if u know another seasonal person set up trips to take together so u can split the bill (plus the 50% discount isnt that bad). i came back 4 different times be4 moving back and 2 of thoes i stayed over at pop. its the cheapest and u can use the disney busses to get too and from work. if the busses arnt running that early or late depending on what time u work, im sure ull know some1 who would be willing to give ya a ride back.
as for hrs. i work in opperations and i know its that u have to work 1 day every 6 months to keep ur status. and since you r seasonal sadly we r on the bottom of the totum (sp? lol) poll so dont get ur hopes up for ne shift over 6 hrs. we r the last to get sch. so basically its whatever is left. who knows, this might just be in my area (epcot future world east) but im just going by what i have been given since ive been back. hope i helped a little if u have ne ?'s send me a msg and ill be glad to help!!

ps. for an off disney hotel try the howard johnsons on off of 535 on 192. i stayed there twice and its not that bad. cheap, clean, quite and the ladys in the front office r really nice. lol..or if u have a little bit more $ to spend marriots r always nice. there is a crap load over off of 535 on palm parkway and than in little lake bryan (on ur way to chatham)..stay away from the days inn on palm parkway its dirty and right off of I-4 so it gets loud at night.:wave:

 

[kcw]

I'm beginning to think that for each department, the required hours for seasonal status are different. I've heard so many different things, and heavens to betsy I have no idea what it really is! haha But would different departments really have different requirements? That doesn't make sense because full-time and part-time have the same hour requirements across the board......

I'm in entertainment, and the cast service manager told me I only needed one day per year. Granted I've already worked three days, and I'm going back in July to work a full week (well, giving availability for a full week- hopefully I'm scheduled all those days)... only one day seems kind of ridiculous- and the reason I stayed seasonal is because I want to work whenever possible, so I'm working as often as I can fly out there.... but one day is what I was told...

 

[Captain Hank]

Update: I've (thankfully) moved out of Home Suite Home and am now staying at a nearby Ramada for a really good price/week. It's not as cheap as HSH, but it's soooooooooo much better (with daily maid service to boot).

 

[Figment82]

I'm a CPer-turned-Seasonal as well, an I'm staying with some friends who have an apartment. I have my air mattress and it's perfect.

Going Seasonal was so easy for me, and where I work, I could basically come in and ask them to put me on the schedule. I just finished my 40 hours, so I'm all set - but I'm here until early September. I love the flexibility, but I wish I could go Full Time to get the benefits that go with it.

Hopefully I can save some money this time around, but I'm already making a list of things I want to buy! Working in merchandise makes it so hard to save money...

 

[joanna71985]

I'm beginning to think that for each department, the required hours for seasonal status are different. I've heard so many different things, and heavens to betsy I have no idea what it really is! haha But would different departments really have different requirements? That doesn't make sense because full-time and part-time have the same hour requirements across the board......

I'm in entertainment, and the cast service manager told me I only needed one day per year. Granted I've already worked three days, and I'm going back in July to work a full week (well, giving availability for a full week- hopefully I'm scheduled all those days)... only one day seems kind of ridiculous- and the reason I stayed seasonal is because I want to work whenever possible, so I'm working as often as I can fly out there.... but one day is what I was told...

That's it? Awsome! I can definitely do that before I leave.

 

[Krozar]

Enough people claim it's too hard to set aside money for the $70-$83 that the CP apartments cost per week (not for me though). How does one make money by staying in a hotel the entire time?

 

[mkt]

Homesuitehome is a flophouse... the price is right, the rest is wrong.

 

[Captain Hank]

Enough people claim it's too hard to set aside money for the $70-$83 that the CP apartments cost per week (not for me though). How does one make money by staying in a hotel the entire time?

Live frugally.

 

[kcw]

Enough people claim it's too hard to set aside money for the $70-$83 that the CP apartments cost per week (not for me though). How does one make money by staying in a hotel the entire time?

um.... in my case, you don't... haha i'm from AZ, so the cost of flying out there, and getting a hotel room, far surpasses what I'm going to make while I'm donwn there. :shrug: But I didn't do the CP to make money, and I surely didn't stay seasonal to make money.... so i'm just saving up this summer and it will be completely worth it!!!!

 

[Krozar]

I can understand not making much money as a CP. The purpose of doing CP is at the very least to add a talking point to a resumé. Either a hiring manager has done the CP, had friends who did it, or are just interested in what it's about. Makes a bit of an ice breaker.

If it gets you toward a career with Disney and you want to go that route, it's awesome too. Take a leadership course, keep the points clear, and get some guest service fanatic cards. Good help is hard to find for Disney. They're always looking for those who thrive in their rather unique environment.


But I don't understand going seasonal to lose money. Although, I don't know much about it. Clue me in.

 

[kcw]

But I don't understand going seasonal to lose money. Although, I don't know much about it. Clue me in.

I didn't stay seasonal to make money, to have the perks, to have it on the resume, anything like that... plain and simple, I miss my job like crazy. I loved every second of it and I miss it every day since I've been home. If I didn't have a degree to finish, a huge scholarship, and a job that needs me to stay here, I'd move to orlando or anaheim and go to work FT. But I can't for now, so staying seasonal is the only way I can keep working. It's like a vacation- you don't make money, you just spend it. So I'm going on a vacation to florida- I'm going to see old friends and hang out in the park, but I'm also going to work.... (more than I'll be "vacationing" :lol: )

 

[Krozar]

OMG! Someone who really likes their job. I thought I and one other person that I know were the only two Seriously, lot of whining in the buses lately about jobs. Already know a lot of people who came in last month and have 4 - 7 points on their record. And seen many many get terminated, or rather let themselves be terminated.

Awesome that you do it as a vacation type of thing. You really got the Disney spirit.

Having the time of my life as well. Got a lot more friends and we like to trek to the new McD's (across from Orlando Premium Outlets) and have a 3+ hour chat... talk about our stupid roomies etc.

I don't use the term "stupid" lightly. Just the other night, one of them decided to get really plastered a little too fast. They were at Epcot and he met this girl there. The girl did not go with them and the guys went back to the apartment where he went unconscious. Well, he woke up, at about 2am and was like "We need to go back to Epcot, I wanna see her again." Anyone should have seen that he was still unconscious at that time. So anyways, he decides to leave the apartment at Chatham and nobody gave a damn really.

At 4:30am, he calls from Epcot. He "woke up" at the American Adventure and doesn't know how he got there. He didn't drive and nobody drove him there. He unconsciously WALKED to Epcot, then to the American Adventure, began to regain consciousness, relieved himself there right in the middle of America, and eventually a security guard asked him if he needed help and he called us.

That's what I mean by "stupid"

Typical CPer from many I have seen hehe.

 

[joanna71985]

OMG! Someone who really likes their job. I thought I and one other person that I know were the only two Seriously, lot of whining in the buses lately about jobs. Already know a lot of people who came in last month and have 4 - 7 points on their record. And seen many many get terminated, or rather let themselves be terminated.

Awesome that you do it as a vacation type of thing. You really got the Disney spirit.

Having the time of my life as well. Got a lot more friends and we like to trek to the new McD's (across from Orlando Premium Outlets) and have a 3+ hour chat... talk about our stupid roomies etc.

I don't use the term "stupid" lightly. Just the other night, one of them decided to get really plastered a little too fast. They were at Epcot and he met this girl there. The girl did not go with them and the guys went back to the apartment where he went unconscious. Well, he woke up, at about 2am and was like "We need to go back to Epcot, I wanna see her again." Anyone should have seen that he was still unconscious at that time. So anyways, he decides to leave the apartment at Chatham and nobody gave a damn really.

At 4:30am, he calls from Epcot. He "woke up" at the American Adventure and doesn't know how he got there. He didn't drive and nobody drove him there. He unconsciously WALKED to Epcot, then to the American Adventure, began to regain consciousness, relieved himself there right in the middle of America, and eventually a security guard asked him if he needed help and he called us.

That's what I mean by "stupid"

Typical CPer from many I have seen hehe.

Meet person #4. I love Disney. I currently am on my third CP (Summer Alumni program) and am seasonal as character attendant. I hope to go FT as soon as I graduate from school.

 

[futuredisneydj]

lol i love my job too. thats the whole reason i went seasonal. the CP was the best time of my life and getting to come back every few months is the best. i think tho that if i were ever to go FT i would go crazy. as much as i love my building its like high school all over again, and i got enough of that the 1st time. lol plus all the perks with none of the work is no to shabby. haha :lol:

 

[kcw]

OMG! Someone who really likes their job. I thought I and one other person that I know were the only two Seriously, lot of whining in the buses lately about jobs. Already know a lot of people who came in last month and have 4 - 7 points on their record. And seen many many get terminated, or rather let themselves be terminated.

during my time there I didn't meet too many people who didn't truly love working there- ya the CP has quite a few, but you have to take into consideration the reasons that some CPs come.... But look at the FTs- a lot of ones that I worked with really put a lot into their jobs day after day, and really like what they do- and I would assume that's across the board, not just my department. But yes, those who do not always seem to speak louder than those who do...