The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[alphac2005]

A very smart choice.
Nothing worse than having some crazehs make a revolution and decide to get your head because you were "too successful".


Speaking of houses, how expensive is to build a house in the US?

Here they sell houses that could easily be only 50k to 100k (and sell for 3X the price)... its like a gravy train for the major house manufacturers (pretty sure they will continue to do so in my zone until there is no land left)

Cesar, it varies so much depending upon the state, market, etc. The coasts are substantially higher and most major cities downtown areas are out of reach for what's considered a middle class family. You could spend 150k in a suburb of a city for a 4/2 bath and the same house elsewhere in the country for 900k. The differences can be radical.

 

[earnedmyears2000]

I will return to the kingdom as a CM after I "retire".... I will want to work seasonal....I will buy a condo neaby...the $ I make will be just to cover some expenses as it is very very hard to make ends meet as Hourly at WDW....last time I worked there, I JUMPED on every part time hour I could get (working at BTM, I was able to work overtinme at plash and Country Bear).
Why will do this? A) I love the place ad the history....I love beign a part of it and most of all, I love the ACCESS the ID card gave me....there is NOTHING in the world like parking myself on a bench on main street a few minutes before the gates open and watching the families coveredin big smiles moving into the park....taking our time and dining in EPCOT or escorting friends and family through the parks. That is a fine way to live in my 60's and I look forward to it!

 

[alphac2005]

There are those of us who went to college in the 'Age of Reagan' when student loans and grants were severely restricted which even though it did not seem so was a good thing in the end.

So many of us worked 2-3 jobs to pay for college while attending full time. There was no time to PARTY or have a social life especially if you were an engineering student. You did learn the lesson that success takes a lot of effort and sweat and nothing is handed to you.

Unfortunately the taps to 'free college money' were turned back on and now we have a couple of generations of students who think they are entitled to a college education and that it's a 4 year party and they take courses of study which don't impact their social schedule rather than those which are economically viable or those for which they have a true passion for and would work at that vocation whether they are getting paid or not.

I find I have a lot more in common with the Indian and Chinese folks I work with because for them even though their governments paid for their education, they really had to work and STAYING at college meant scoring in the top 15% of standardized exams.

There was no 'Spring Break' for these people, Just as there was not one for me.

I went to college in 'Age of Clinton' and not all of us turned out to be societal rejects. My wife and I worked newspaper routes for two years, seven days a week during our first two years of college with only four days off over two years while driving nearly 70 miles per night. We worked like dogs, went to school, provided seed money for our business, and then moved to Florida.

We had student loans, but they were very mild and the loan program was of great benefit to us as we knew that once we had completed our useful bachelor's degrees, we'd have the means for repayment. I think it gets far too overstated that kids are lazy today and are partying all the time. So many kids get stuck an extra year or two in universities because there are simply not enough classes available to get their degrees done in four years due to budgetary cuts and poor planning by all too many bloated university bureaucracy layers.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I went to college in 'Age of Clinton' and not all of us turned out to be societal rejects. My wife and I worked newspaper routes for two years, seven days a week during our first two years of college with only four days off over two years while driving nearly 70 miles per night. We worked like dogs, went to school, provided seed money for our business, and then moved to Florida.

We had student loans, but they were very mild and the loan program was of great benefit to us as we knew that once we had completed our useful bachelor's degrees, we'd have the means for repayment. I think it gets far too overstated that kids are lazy today and are partying all the time. So many kids get stuck an extra year or two in universities because there are simply not enough classes available to get their degrees done in four years due to budgetary cuts and poor planning by all too many bloated university bureaucracy layers.

Thank you for highlighting "useful"... most degrees mean absolutely nothing nowadays.

Mine is tucked into the back of a drawer, probably behind more significant things like elementary school drawings and photos of my dog.

 

[Cesar R M]

Thank you for highlighting "useful"... most degrees mean absolutely nothing nowadays.

Mine is tucked into the back of a drawer, probably behind more significant things like elementary school drawings and photos of my dog.

I did not know I could ask for a job in a high tech company for IT business with a picture of my dog!

 

[flynnibus]

I still don't get what the big deal is. It's an internship, a temporary job to earn some extra cash. It has no impact on your future earnings. I worked at TGI Fridays one summer in college. It was a lot of fun. I didn't make great money, but I looked great in stripes and suspenders.

They try to paint it as a life experience and professional plus... they have to.. when they are trying to lure people down to work menial wages to be janitors or fry cooks.

 

[ford91exploder]

I went to college in 'Age of Clinton' and not all of us turned out to be societal rejects. My wife and I worked newspaper routes for two years, seven days a week during our first two years of college with only four days off over two years while driving nearly 70 miles per night. We worked like dogs, went to school, provided seed money for our business, and then moved to Florida.

We had student loans, but they were very mild and the loan program was of great benefit to us as we knew that once we had completed our useful bachelor's degrees, we'd have the means for repayment. I think it gets far too overstated that kids are lazy today and are partying all the time. So many kids get stuck an extra year or two in universities because there are simply not enough classes available to get their degrees done in four years due to budgetary cuts and poor planning by all too many bloated university bureaucracy layers.

Spent a decade plus in University IT Administration at a University everyone has heard of, Majority of kids from US felt their social lives were more important than their course of study as the name on the degree would guarantee them a job. This was NOT true with kids from Asia who busted their tails to get good grades in the HARD courses.

I have some experience in this field.

 

[ford91exploder]

Cesar, it varies so much depending upon the state, market, etc. The coasts are substantially higher and most major cities downtown areas are out of reach for what's considered a middle class family. You could spend 150k in a suburb of a city for a 4/2 bath and the same house elsewhere in the country for 900k. The differences can be radical.

A 2BR flat in Cambridge MA will cost between 800K and 1.2M US

 

[khale1970]

Please quote my post where I said it was me whom I was speaking about. I experienced it first hand but that does not mean I am talking about my own personal experience. Also, you have no idea who I am or what I do for the company so please do not assume you know anything about me.

My apologies for assuming you were speaking of personal experience instead of relating the experience of others. I'm still amazed that WDW can get away with having career CMs who make so little above the minimum wage. The labor supply must greatly exceed demand to retain a workforce with such low wages. I realize due to today's abysmal economy that it's difficult to find work and risky to leave a somewhat secure job for the hope of a higher paying one elsewhere, but it is hard to get my mind around WDW being able to get away with such behavior during the mid to late 1980s and the mid to late 1990s. The job market was so hot then I can't see how it didn't put tremendous upwards pressure on the hourly wages at WDW. But it appears it didn't, and there are two reasons I can see for that - 1) WDW must not view most front line CM positions as careers and is willing to tolerate the churn of turnover (and constant training of new hires) when CMs leave for greener grass or 2) the low wages don't lead as much turnover as I think it should so WDW feels no need to pay higher wages. Either way, it can't be a good work environment once the novelty of working at WDW wears off.

 

[khale1970]

They try to paint it as a life experience and professional plus... they have to.. when they are trying to lure people down to work menial wages to be janitors or fry cooks.

I can see the life experience part considering you basically live and work with strangers in a place you likely have no family or friends, but how do they sell it as a professional plus? Admittedly I know little about the program, but how do you turn a job that requires little formal education (fry cook, janitor, bell man, store clerk) into a professional plus? Do they just straight up lie to them about what they will be doing, or is more along the lines of veiled promises of opportunities to advance to positions of greater responsibility?

 

[flynnibus]

I can see the life experience part considering you basically live and work with strangers in a place you likely have on family or friends, but how do they sell it as a professional plus? Admittedly I know little about the program, but how do you turn a job that requires little formal education (fry cook, janitor, bell man, store clerk) into a professional plus? Do they just straight up lie to them about what they will be doing, or is more along the lines of veiled promises of opportunities to advance to positions of greater responsibility?

Depends on the person's aspirations..

• if you're the type that wants to work for Disney.. they can use the 'get your foot in the door' or 'its easier from inside the company that outside' 'CP is disney experience.. so you will have it easier to apply..'
• if you're the education type.. they can sell the 'take advantage of the seminars or lecture opportunities'
• If you think you are going to move up.. they can sell the 'its a network opportunity, you will meet important people, etc'
• they can sell it as a great 'customer service job experience with the golden disney seal.. everyone knows Disney for their customer service standards'

There are opportunities for CPs to do more than 'just work' - but for so many.. it really is just your 'summer job' but with a company with name recognition.

Any real sort of 'professional job track' isn't in the CP program, but in the internships/etc they offer.. and there too people use the CP as a doorway to try to land those. So they'll pitch it to people to do the CP first.. then try to get one of the professional internships after your CP.

As much as people talk about the CPs being poo'd on. My college roommate commuted 45mins each way on the Metro to work an internship he got paid ZERO for. For most of the life sciences people.. internships were NO pay. Meanwhile... I was engineering so I got paid $10-$15 an hour for my co-op and actually had career opportunities directly from the role

Why I went engineering from the start... high starting pay vs life sciences having little to no pay for a long time until you made it 5-10 years later.

 

[alindley]

Hi there, thought I'd add to the discussion of the College Program as I am a "graduate" of the program (International from Canada for three months) and my fiancee did the program twice (both Spring programs, one extended until August). I worked at one of the resorts as a part of the quick service team. It was a crappy job but the alternative was a crappy job up in Canada or continue my co-op experience that I got through my university (I chose to take the summer off). I made literally nothing all summer but my fiancee was able to make some money because after a while there's not much to buy except for food. My money went to gifts and souvenirs for my family and friends.
The experience did look good on my resume and I was able to get a job right out of university, mostly due to my co-op experience, but all of the interviewers asked about my college program and it was something I could talk about.
It was something to do for the summer and take a break from school.
The college program people (US) all worked harder than us Canadians for the most part because they were there for longer and wanted to make money, whereas we were there more to enjoy it.
I remember one person on the college program would pick up every shift they allowed him to and ended up working 70+ hours some weeks. I asked him about it and he said there were no opportunities to make money back home so he had to work that much to pay for his school.
Some people do it to try and get a job back with Disney after they're done school, and some just see it as an opportunity to live and work in Florida.
Hope this sheds some light.
TL;DR 3 month ICP went there to have some fun, made no money, met his wife to be, came home and went back to school.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I did not know I could ask for a job in a high tech company for IT business with a picture of my dog!

I think you missed what I was trying to say. My degree means absolutely nothing, nada, zilch and is treated as such. So it's not "on display" or even framed. The whole college experience left a horrible taste in my mouth (including the student loans) and the degree- the expensive piece of paper- is shoved into a drawer.

edit to add- Obviously, my experiences are not typical of everyone attending college.

 

[alphac2005]

Spent a decade plus in University IT Administration at a University everyone has heard of, Majority of kids from US felt their social lives were more important than their course of study as the name on the degree would guarantee them a job. This was NOT true with kids from Asia who busted their tails to get good grades in the HARD courses.

I have some experience in this field.

You don't have to look at college. I look at my children's classmates and the the children who's families are from Asia already have these kids excelling. I just wanted to make the point, though, that there are plenty of people that work their butts off in college and don't have the mindset that you mentioned. I totally am on-board with what you're saying, though.

 

[John]

Just thought I would chime in here.....I dont have a degree. Graduated high school and went right to work. Moved out of my parents house at the tender age of 17.......my mother said for the longest time that she was waiting for me to come home. She now lives in my house. I work in the construction industry. Started at the bottom. I do very well. My point? If I can do it anybody can. It just takes hard work. A young person can make six figures in my field if they truly desired. The field I am in is not that hard to get into. Hard work? extremely! And there is the rub.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I did not know I could ask for a job in a high tech company for IT business with a picture of my dog!

Only if you colored within the lines.

 

[Figments Friend]

Probably the best thing to come of MVMCP, an ad traditionally animated and directed by Eric Goldberg.

Wow....nice to see some 'traditionalists' still active out there doing non-CGI stuff.
GREAT.

Nice advert !

 

[GoofGoof]

Just thought I would chime in here.....I dont have a degree. Graduated high school and went right to work. Moved out of my parents house at the tender age of 17.......my mother said for the longest time that she was waiting for me to come home. She now lives in my house. I work in the construction industry. Started at the bottom. I do very well. My point? If I can do it anybody can. It just takes hard work. A young person can make six figures in my field if they truly desired. The field I am in is not that hard to get into. Hard work? extremely! And there is the rub.

This is so true. I don't know what type of construction you do, but I literally can't find people to hire to do renovations and projects around my house. I have a guy I used several times in the past for kitchen and bathroom work, but he is generally booked up to a year in advance. He put in a new shower in my master bath over a weekend as a favor since I had a big leak. He makes some serious money, but he works his butt off. He's no spring chicken either, but he generally does a lot of the work himself because he can't find reliable help. Kids today think they should just be handed a good paying job that doesn't require a ton of effort.

 

[ford91exploder]

You don't have to look at college. I look at my children's classmates and the the children who's families are from Asia already have these kids excelling. I just wanted to make the point, though, that there are plenty of people that work their butts off in college and don't have the mindset that you mentioned. I totally am on-board with what you're saying, though.

Agree absolutely, I coach a FIRST robotics team and only the hardworking NERD's join up we get some of the other kind of kids but when they learn they are expected to get hands dirty they are quickly gone, Of course all our seniors got into selective colleges and many got a full ACADEMIC ride.

 

[John]

This is so true. I don't know what type of construction you do, but I literally can't find people to hire to do renovations and projects around my house. I have a guy I used several times in the past for kitchen and bathroom work, but he is generally booked up to a year in advance. He put in a new shower in my master bath over a weekend as a favor since I had a big leak. He makes some serious money, but he works his butt off. He's no spring chicken either, but he generally does a lot of the work himself because he can't find reliable help. Kids today think they should just be handed a good paying job that doesn't require a ton of effort.

This is the problem in this industry. I am 53.....not old but....definitely not young. I too most often have more work to do then hours in a day. Young people do not want to put the time in to become "sklled". He is right....finding good help is extremely difficult. Working hard for a honest living is an obscure concept these days. There was a time when we were proud to work hard to take care of our families. We took pride in a "job well done" The new crede in America is....scam, flam, sham.....how can I do the least amount of work and make the most money. That is the new badge of honor.....how can I get in your pocket and take money with out you knowing it. I realize I am a dinosaur.....your "guy" might as well be me. What young people do not realize is that we skilled workers are getting smaller in numbers and there will come a time in the not to distant future that those that are skilled workers will be able to just name their price. BTW I am a flooring installer.....hardwood floors....Vinyl....laminate...etc.