Here is the plan!

[Doug Means]

My son started the DCP Feb 3rd. we drove him down and dropped him off. It was hard being there and not doing ANYTHING so on our way out the next day to drive home we did Ohana's breakfast. That also inspired us to take a spring break trip back down to see him and do a couple of parks. So, here is the plan:

Arrival day we have no park planned but do have an ADR at OHanas for dinner. We got a reservation for 3 hoping that the DS will be off to join us. We will have plenty of time to cancel his seat if we find out he has to work. The next morning we are going to Studios. We plan on getting over there early and trying to get on RotR. We have fast passes planned for that day(Smuggler's Run, Rock'n Roller Coaster, and Fantasmic) and will enjoy that park as a full day park. We have an ADR at 50's Prime Time Cafe for a late lunch. The next day we are doing AK in the morning. Planning on a very early arrival to do FoP because we could not get a fast pass. Then we have fast passes for Everest, the Lion King, and the Safari. We then are going to run over to Epcot. There we have an ADR at the Coral Reef and plan on doing soar'n and anything else we can ride and finishing the night with the fireworks there. Hopefully my DS can join us this day if he can get off, or at least find us when he gets off. we then will be checking out the next day, but before we leave we are going to go over to Disney Springs and do lunch at T-Rex.

Interesting side notes: As i am typing this, I got an email saying my Magic Bands we just mailed. When picking them out I found it funny that the My Disney Experience website asked "You have 6 active magic bands, do you want to use them and opt out of getting a new one?" NO! i don't want to opt out. I'm collecting these and feel like with the price i'm paying deserve a new one. Also, I know that Studios is crowded any way and that during spring break it will be over the top, but its going to be a fun trip where i get to see my DS. My family is fairly jazzed up about him working there and my daughter is already planning on getting on too in about a year and a half.

 

[yensid67]

Your son will LOVE and ENJOY his time working for the Mouse! I am a former Cast Member from 1999 and STILL enjoy planning and going to Disney when I can...my magic hasn't faded at all!
I would try to figure some way to have you son take off at least one of those days WITHOUT TELLING HIM WHY...surprise him with you...it will mean the absolute world to him! Tell him someone else is showing up or something . The other day if he has to work, he can meet you when he gets off...that's what cell phones are for right? My Mom & Dad and Niece came for a visit, but I knew but it meant the world to me and made a memory I will never forget! To keep this a surprise, I would suggest to call Disney and see if they can do anything or help you. The worse they can say is no, but it doesn't hurt to ask! Hope things work out for you...Enjoy the Magic!

 

[Doug Means]

Your son will LOVE and ENJOY his time working for the Mouse! I am a former Cast Member from 1999 and STILL enjoy planning and going to Disney when I can...my magic hasn't faded at all!
I would try to figure some way to have you son take off at least one of those days WITHOUT TELLING HIM WHY...surprise him with you...it will mean the absolute world to him! Tell him someone else is showing up or something . The other day if he has to work, he can meet you when he gets off...that's what cell phones are for right? My Mom & Dad and Niece came for a visit, but I knew but it meant the world to me and made a memory I will never forget! To keep this a surprise, I would suggest to call Disney and see if they can do anything or help you. The worse they can say is no, but it doesn't hurt to ask! Hope things work out for you...Enjoy the Magic!

great advice, but i have already told him we are coming. he/we are not sure how scheduling goes so i wanted to give him as much advanced notice so that if he can work out the schedule, it would be great to be with us all day, but understand that it may only be part day. Also the day we are at Studios, he is blacked out of it. He could buy a ticket or we could buy him a ticket but i didn't want to ask too much of him and his schedule being new right now. we text or talk every day. i'm not sure if he realizes how excited i am about him working there. even if he chooses a different path later, it is so cool now. i wish i was working there. i've told him so many times i love the fact he is working there. i am definitely living through him right now. He is on his 2nd day of actual training and has a mock assessment today. i really just cant wait to hear about it all, every day. I am very patient though, he is 24 and i am not trying to intrude or be overly nosy. so i let him contact me when he is ready, but like a little teenage boy waiting for a girl to call, i am just nervous and giddy at the same time looking forward to it.

 

[yensid67]

You are proud parents! My parents never said it but I knew they were proud of me when they came for a visit with my niece. Their FIRST visit or vacation to anywhere else other than local river for a weekend! Their first trip going anywhere on THE GREYHOUND BUS...that was an adventure in itself! But being the last of 7 kids, they never had a REAL VACATION! Disney WILL open many doors for your son! When I moved back to Maryland(home), I had jobs right and left calling me...I had to turn down about 10!!!! My advice for your son...if he wants to make Disney a career, he needs to stick with it and stay with the company and eventually move up in the company...who knows one day he may even be the CEO of Disney World...then you would have something to be VERY EXTREMELY PROUD OF!
As far as telling him, its OK I know he will be ready to show you where he works. I just thought a surprise would have been well...a surprise! If he keeps his head on and doesn't get caught up in things that take away from the Magic, he will Soar...just like Dumbo...to height unbelievable!
P.S.
****Make sure you ask him what kind of discounts he can get for you!!!!! He SHOULD be able to get you and wife into the parks for Free on his ID(unless they changed this!?)****

 

[Smiley/OCD]

My oldest DD did the DCP 2 years ago...she had her car. We drove down from NJ, and we arrived the afternoon before she had to "officially" enter the program. Like you, I HAD to spend some time there, so while we didn't hit any parks, we DID stay overnight at POP. (it was only 10 bucks more than staying off property) I flew home the next afternoon and we reversed the process when she was done. He WILL work his A** off (if he wants to-she worked 12 hour days because she wanted to) but she absolutely LOVED it!! Have him take you to cast connections...

 

[Smiley/OCD]

As the last post states, it DOES open lots of doors...we have a neighbor who's daughter did 3 consecutive "stints" with the DCP...she was offered, and accepted a position at the parks and now works full time for the mouse!

 

[Doug Means]

You are proud parents! My parents never said it but I knew they were proud of me when they came for a visit with my niece. Their FIRST visit or vacation to anywhere else other than local river for a weekend! Their first trip going anywhere on THE GREYHOUND BUS...that was an adventure in itself! But being the last of 7 kids, they never had a REAL VACATION! Disney WILL open many doors for your son! When I moved back to Maryland(home), I had jobs right and left calling me...I had to turn down about 10!!!! My advice for your son...if he wants to make Disney a career, he needs to stick with it and stay with the company and eventually move up in the company...who knows one day he may even be the CEO of Disney World...then you would have something to be VERY EXTREMELY PROUD OF!
As far as telling him, its OK I know he will be ready to show you where he works. I just thought a surprise would have been well...a surprise! If he keeps his head on and doesn't get caught up in things that take away from the Magic, he will Soar...just like Dumbo...to height unbelievable!
P.S.
****Make sure you ask him what kind of discounts he can get for you!!!!! He SHOULD be able to get you and wife into the parks for Free on his ID(unless they changed this!?)****

I think the surprise is a great idea and i will use it sometime in the future. Thanks for the info and story, great story.

 

[Dory71]

great advice, but i have already told him we are coming. he/we are not sure how scheduling goes so i wanted to give him as much advanced notice so that if he can work out the schedule, it would be great to be with us all day, but understand that it may only be part day. Also the day we are at Studios, he is blacked out of it. He could buy a ticket or we could buy him a ticket but i didn't want to ask too much of him and his schedule being new right now. we text or talk every day. i'm not sure if he realizes how excited i am about him working there. even if he chooses a different path later, it is so cool now. i wish i was working there. i've told him so many times i love the fact he is working there. i am definitely living through him right now. He is on his 2nd day of actual training and has a mock assessment today. i really just cant wait to hear about it all, every day. I am very patient though, he is 24 and i am not trying to intrude or be overly nosy. so i let him contact me when he is ready, but like a little teenage boy waiting for a girl to call, i am just nervous and giddy at the same time looking forward to it.

I know how you feel. My daughter did the DCP last semester and I think I loved it more than she did! We were able to visit a few times during her program and she was either able to schedule a day off or switch shifts with co-workers. Enjoy your trip! I hope your son enjoys his time at Disney!

 

[Doug Means]

I know how you feel. My daughter did the DCP last semester and I think I loved it more than she did! We were able to visit a few times during her program and she was either able to schedule a day off or switch shifts with co-workers. Enjoy your trip! I hope your son enjoys his time at Disney!

thank you