The Dos and Don'ts of WDWCP

Magicot

Magicot

Member
Original Poster
Hey CP Alums, this one's for you! I start my Spring '07 CP on Jan 6th and I need some advice!

Could you tell me what's the one thing you should do during your CP and the one thing you should not do/avoid?

Thanks! :wave:
 
joanna71985

joanna71985

Well-Known Member
Well, the one thing you should do depends on you, I believe. I made a list of stuff I wanted to do on my CP, and it included character dining, enjoying the holidays, and go into the parks as much as possible. So far I have done the Crystal Palace, CRT, and am doing LTT and Play N Dine (character dining), went to both mnsshp and mvmcp, and love just going into the parks whenever I want

Now for the don't thing- try to avoid calling in, and avoid drinking (especially if you are underage). Being termed for underage drinking is one of the top reasons CPs leave the program.
 
B

Blizz

New Member
Not a CP but I have seen enough mistakes to be able to comment.

1.) DONT get caught drinking (if you are underage). I have watched CPs get termed before they even make it to Traditions.

2.) DO get to your bus stop very very early. The buses stink for CPs. If you have your own car... lucky you. lol. Everyone without a car is now your new best friend.

3.) DONT self term. It looks bad if you one day want to go for a Pro. Internship.

4.) Have fun!... And get to learn the whole Palm Parkway/535/Apopka Vineland Rd. area. You and your roommates will find yourselves haninging out there often (all the restaurants are around there - Steak and Shake at 3am after a long night at PI can be nice).

Oh... I almost forgot. You will soon understand why Workbrain sucks! haha. (check your record card often, Workbrain often adds nice little marks that never happened on there)
 
MagliteL13

MagliteL13

Active Member
I know this may sound a little far fetched, but the one thing I always try to keep in mind while at the parks (on the clock or off) is that I'm not working. Now, I don't really care for some of Disney's policies but I've never 'worked' at a theme park before. It's what you make of it--if you think you're going to work, you are. My first role at Disney was as a busser at Pecos Bill's. How exciting...:rolleyes: Just the fact that you're able to have a lasting effect on thousands of people a day makes it worthwhile.

I think I made that longer than it should be, but it's something I'm very passionate about.

As for the don't--don't get termed. Follow the rules of the complex (no matter how much some of them stink) and stay within the attendance matrix.

Learn the 24hrs (Steak n Shake, Denny's, etc...), late nights (Fridays, Backstage Billiards, etc...) and major discounts. Take full advantage of that stuff--ask the FT and PT CMs that live in the area for advice.

Jeremy
Jungle Cruise Skipper
Revenge of the Mummy Assistant Production Assistant
 
DznyGrlSD

DznyGrlSD

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
One of my big DO's - voluntEAR!!!!!!! It's very rewarding!!

Another BIG DO - Go to graduation - I skipped it to work overtime (I needed the $$) and regret it every day.

DO's - pick up Overtime (from the cast portal) at a completely different location than you work. I worked @ DTD and I picked up OT at: MK, EPCOT, & Typhoon Lagoon. It's kind of a nice break to work at a different location do something different.

DON'T - Be stupid, Disney will catch you. If you have to question yourself if it's 'right' or not, don't do it.

DON'T - Play the occurance game - when you're out sick and you're really not, it makes people mad, and it causes more stress @ work that it's worth
 
mharrington

mharrington

Well-Known Member
My sister created a website about her experience with the College Program. Click here: it's called My Life as a Disney College Program Student.

Anyway, that website has a list of truths of what to really expect from the College Program, including:
  1. You are there to work, not anything else.
  2. Guarantee that you will work on all holidays.
  3. There will be many days where you will be asked to work 11 hours or more.
  4. While it is up to the manager as to whether they will give you food that will get thrown out anyway, don't anticipate that they will allow it. Speaking from personal experience, more often than not, they would rather see you throw away somewhere between 20 and 150 turkey legs away than see you and your fellow Cast Members have one.
  5. If you call in sick the day after a free PI night, they look up if you went there the night before.
  6. In addition, if you call in sick and go to a park, they can tell that too.
  7. You will be guaranteed to have most of the closing shifts; CP doesn't just stand for College Program, it also stands for Closing Person or Company Peon.
  8. You will often be asked to work 6-day weeks. Your one day off may be the day you have to spend in class, if you take one.
  9. You will often be given the worst, dirtiest jobs.
  10. At the Presentation, they tell you about all the malls and other attractions in the area. If you are automotively challenged, don't count on seeing any of these things. In addition, unless you are motivated enough, don't count on finding time to go on one of your potentially two days off.
  11. Unless you have class, you are game to work; you may even be scheduled to work on your class day.
  12. There is a weekly list of people who they can call on their days off to come in to work if they need it. Hope you don't get on this list during Thanksgiving/New Year's week and end up having to work seven days in a row.
  13. You will meet the dumbest people in your life here; people who will ask questions so innane, you'll wonder if they are for real.
  14. You will be forced to wear a uniform so ugly, so fruity, and so horribly conceived you wouldn't even want to wear them trick-or-treating, let alone to your job on a daily basis.

And just for the record, my sister worked at Sunset Ranch Market in the Studios (the second most popular eatery on property, after Cosmic Ray's). On the plus side, it was through CP that she met her new husband who also worked through the CP. He worked at the ice cream parlor on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.
 
DznyGrlSD

DznyGrlSD

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
I disagree with the above post. The CP is what YOU make of it. I had a WONDERFUL time and I ended up extending my CP 2x and staying for a whole year (the longest you can stay). Yes, it wasn't pixie dust the entire time, but nothing as horrible as what was mentioned above. It's all how you look at it.

I also did my CP when I was 24, which is older, and more mature, than most CPs. For some CP's this is the 1st time they've REALLY been away from home or have had a 'real' job.

Again, it's all what YOU make of it.
 
joanna71985

joanna71985

Well-Known Member
mharrington said:
My sister created a website about her experience with the College Program. Click here: it's called My Life as a Disney College Program Student.

Anyway, that website has a list of truths of what to really expect from the College Program, including:
  1. You are there to work, not anything else.
  2. Guarantee that you will work on all holidays.
  3. There will be many days where you will be asked to work 11 hours or more.
  4. While it is up to the manager as to whether they will give you food that will get thrown out anyway, don't anticipate that they will allow it. Speaking from personal experience, more often than not, they would rather see you throw away somewhere between 20 and 150 turkey legs away than see you and your fellow Cast Members have one.
  5. If you call in sick the day after a free PI night, they look up if you went there the night before.
  6. In addition, if you call in sick and go to a park, they can tell that too.
  7. You will be guaranteed to have most of the closing shifts; CP doesn't just stand for College Program, it also stands for Closing Person or Company Peon.
  8. You will often be asked to work 6-day weeks. Your one day off may be the day you have to spend in class, if you take one.
  9. You will often be given the worst, dirtiest jobs.
  10. At the Presentation, they tell you about all the malls and other attractions in the area. If you are automotively challenged, don't count on seeing any of these things. In addition, unless you are motivated enough, don't count on finding time to go on one of your potentially two days off.
  11. Unless you have class, you are game to work; you may even be scheduled to work on your class day.
  12. There is a weekly list of people who they can call on their days off to come in to work if they need it. Hope you don't get on this list during Thanksgiving/New Year's week and end up having to work seven days in a row.
  13. You will meet the dumbest people in your life here; people who will ask questions so innane, you'll wonder if they are for real.
  14. You will be forced to wear a uniform so ugly, so fruity, and so horribly conceived you wouldn't even want to wear them trick-or-treating, let alone to your job on a daily basis.
And just for the record, my sister worked at Sunset Ranch Market in the Studios (the second most popular eatery on property, after Cosmic Ray's). On the plus side, it was through CP that she met her new husband who also worked through the CP. He worked at the ice cream parlor on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.
Click to expand...

I agree with some of them, but not all.

1. I don't agree with this one. I think you are there for the experience, not just to work.

2. Agree. CPs more likely then not will be working the major holidays.

3. Agree. I can personally attest to this one.

4. Don't know

5. Don't know, but would believe it

6. Agree. I know people from experience who have been termed for doing this

7. This depends on what role you have. Last year in merchandise I always closed. But now I am a character attendant and almost always am at park opening

8. Agree. Can personally attest to this.

9. Don't agree. Not always true.

10. Don't know

11. Agree. This is true

12. Agree. I have been called in on my day off.

13. So true

14. This is both true and not true. Some are, and some are actually nice
 
Mecha Figment

Mecha Figment

New Member
I did my CP at age 27 last year. And because of my maturity i got a lot more respect then your average CP

Don't expect your hot stuff. In most departments your looked upon as the vermin that took their hours away.

Don't waste your maingate the first day you get it. Wait for your id. You may need that day later.

I can't really say much more on here. I'm in the entertainment department and and it runs differently then most of the others. and since this is a public forum, i can't get into the more nitty gritties of what not to do.

but if you get into entertainment attend as many workshops as you can, and dont' be smug. in fact don't even mention that you are a CP
 
Wilt Dasney

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
mharrington said:
  1. There will be many days where you will be asked to work 11 hours or more.
  2. You will be guaranteed to have most of the closing shifts; CP doesn't just stand for College Program, it also stands for Closing Person or Company Peon.
  3. You will often be asked to work 6-day weeks. Your one day off may be the day you have to spend in class, if you take one.
  4. You will often be given the worst, dirtiest jobs.
  5. At the Presentation, they tell you about all the malls and other attractions in the area. If you are automotively challenged, don't count on seeing any of these things. In addition, unless you are motivated enough, don't count on finding time to go on one of your potentially two days off.
  6. You will be forced to wear a uniform so ugly, so fruity, and so horribly conceived you wouldn't even want to wear them trick-or-treating, let alone to your job on a daily basis.
Click to expand...
These all run counter to my CP experience -- some a little, some a lot.
 
juan

juan

Well-Known Member
work to your fullest -- you'd be surprised at the freedom and responsibilities managers will give you

don't eat disney food while on the job

go to the parks and go to cast exclusive events like previews

visit the beach, even if it is at 3am

use your cast discount everywhere you go

double back, time and a half, and double time really make your paycheck go up
 
joanna71985

joanna71985

Well-Known Member
Mecha Figment said:
I did my CP at age 27 last year. And because of my maturity i got a lot more respect then your average CP

Don't expect your hot stuff. In most departments your looked upon as the vermin that took their hours away.

Don't waste your maingate the first day you get it. Wait for your id. You may need that day later.

I can't really say much more on here. I'm in the entertainment department and and it runs differently then most of the others. and since this is a public forum, i can't get into the more nitty gritties of what not to do.

but if you get into entertainment attend as many workshops as you can, and dont' be smug. in fact don't even mention that you are a CP
Click to expand...

So true. I loved the workshops, especially the puppeteer ones. And many of the FT/PT CMs were shocked when I told them I was a CP. Many of them told me that they thought I was FT.
 
DisneyCP2000

DisneyCP2000

Well-Known Member
DO make the most out of the experience. Some things will get you down, but that's just another lesson in work or life. It's not necessarily doing menial jobs over and over again, it's gaining transferrable skills (communication, problem solving, quick thinking, etc) out of the CP.

DON'T expect to get very far with Lynx transportation. If you can carpool with a friend, it will make any trip outside of Disney a whole lot more fun. I tried to visit one of the malls down there for Xmas shopping and it was a 2 hour ride from TTC to the mall. UGHHHH.

DON'T buy more than you can carry when you visit Walmart. I lived in the back of Vista Way with a pretty long walk. Carrying 10 bags with Milk, orange juice, 12 case of Coke, etc doesn't work very well. (unless you can get security to help you out)
 
mharrington

mharrington

Well-Known Member
Fallen Angel said:
I disagree with the above post. The CP is what YOU make of it. I had a WONDERFUL time and I ended up extending my CP 2x and staying for a whole year (the longest you can stay). Yes, it wasn't pixie dust the entire time, but nothing as horrible as what was mentioned above. It's all how you look at it.

I also did my CP when I was 24, which is older, and more mature, than most CPs. For some CP's this is the 1st time they've REALLY been away from home or have had a 'real' job.

Again, it's all what YOU make of it.
Click to expand...

I guess it's just depending on where you work and in what area? My sister's work area was in the food department at the Studios.

Now, if she were a ride operator, THAT would've been a dream come true for her! At least she didn't get stuck working as a character. You know how uncomfortable those can get!
 
mharrington

mharrington

Well-Known Member
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention one last instruction:

15. If you work at Magic Kingdom, start praying! If you are working on Main Street, forget it! Prayers won't help you now. Count on, not only staying till the park closes at 1 am for almost-daily after hours parties during holiday and summer seasons, but also for the 40-60 minutes in which Main Street stays open with the rest of the park, and add an hour for closing after that!
 
metscool

metscool

Active Member
DONT tell a manger at PI that it is BS that they can't give you a glass of ice water. Or you will get fired.

And don't tell anyone that you are a CM.
 

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