Disney Information Meeting!!!!!

Just got back from a 2 hour long information session held at my college campus for all NEW Cast Members who were accepted into the Disney College Program!!!!!!!!!!! All I can say is WOW. I can't wait for August!!!! I'm gonna sum this up as best as I can for followers and DCP hopefuls =) My college recruiter primarily focused on your first 3 days in the program, which includes: housing, casting, traditions, etc... enjoy!

Day 1: Arriving
-You must check in at Vista Way at 9am by the Disney Look Guidelines. Check in lasts till 1pm, but the sooner you get there, the sooner you can have your housing, casting, and traditions all set up!
-If you're like me, and you're coming the day before with your family, your family MAY come with you to check in, but they CANNOT come with you to the Concierge Station (I'll talk about that in a second).
-When you're checking in, you CANNOT specify the apartment complex that you want to live in. The ONLY thing you CAN request is how many roomates you want to have.
-You will most likely be roomates with the people who are close to you in line, so become friends! =)
-At check in, you will receive your Program Guide which will have your address on the back of it, and your apartment key taped to the inside when that is all situated!
-You'll be given a time to go to the Concierge Station (by bus via the Disney Program). This is a specific APPOINTMENT you MUST attend. Any non-attendance pushes you back for training for your role! Family members CANNOT come with you to this. They CAN however start moving you in to your apartment =)
-At Concierge Station, you will be taking your Housing ID Picture, so you must still be in Disney Look. This ID will have a picture of you, will verify your age: under 21, or over 21.. and will have the complex you're living in on it. This is what you use to go in and out of your complex.
-You will also get a parking decal while you're at the CS. To receive a decal for your car (if you bring one) you will need: a copy of your ID, a copy of your insurance, and registration.
**After you've done all of this, you will take the bus back to your complex. It's recommended that you eat something because if you arrived early, it's possible that you could knock everything out in one day!** If you do get appointments for all of the above, you move on to casting**

• CASTING:
• check in with a college recruiter
• you will find out your location and training schedule
• if you want to use direct deposit, you MUST bring a voided check that's linked to the account you want to transfer everything to. Otherwise, you will be paid and can withdrawal money from the Pay Pal card Disney gives.
• Background check- electronic fingerprint
• must be in Disney Look!
• at casting, they will give you info on Education course info you can take at Disney University (you will not sign up for the classes at this point)
• Bring all of your BOARDING PAPERWORK... this you can print from offline once you've been accepted. FILL THOSE OUT PRIOR TO ARRIVING, you will save yourself 25 minutes of time!!!!!
• Briefing on the Disney benefits as a cast member!!!!!!!

Day 1/2: Housing

-Welcome session at the clubhouse (2 hours long)

-You'll receive all of your Housing Guidelines with the rules and regulations for housing... i found out:

• If you are 21, and all your roomates are 21.... if there is someone underage and caught drinking in your apartment, EVERY ROOMATE WILL BE TERMINATED from housing AND the program (in most cases)
• There are random room inspections for cleanliness of the apartment. When you move in and receive your guidelines for housing, they will give you a list of how and what to clean..... EVERY ROOMATE is responsible for cleaning. If points are taken off, every roomate may have to pay a $21 fee. In some cases, people have been terminated...... so be careful-- this is all in your control!
• Family and friends CAN visit you anytime from 9am-1am.... but they MUST be escorted by YOU before 1am, or consequences can occur. That means, visitors CANNOT sleepover!!!! Violation of this policy can lead to termination. These guests are checked in under YOUR NAME... everything will fall on you, so be careful!
• There is no curfew for Disney College Program Interns, so you have the freedom to come and go as you please. YES, you can come home later than 1am to YOUR apartment.

Day 2/3: Disney University (25 minutes away... right behind the Magic Kingdom)

-Disney's Traditions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a 4 hour historical and informational packed session you get PAID for! Traditions teaches you more about Disney than what you already know.. and it's mostly what DCP interns love talking about!

-Dress in Business Casual in Disney Look--- see Disney's guidelines for this.

-Girls, NO FLATS! Not even dressy flats! I'm serious!

-Here is when all the Disney Discounts take effect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, that's about it! Here are a few more tips and what to bring:

1. Your License or form of State Issued ID
2. Original Social Security Card (not lamenated), original Birth Certificate, or non expired passport
3. Padlock for your locker inside your closet in your apartment
4. Vehicle registration, and insurance card
5. Business clothing
6. Money to hold you over for about 2 weeks (a lot of alumni's were saying they brought about $400)
7. Your Boarding Paperwork filled out
8. Bathroom things (curtain, rug, etc)
9. Disney provides apartments with plates and silverware so don't worry about that!

Thats all I can think of right now!!!!!!! =)

Disney Daze

I made a banner for my blog page. I'm completely in love with it! It's not protected, so I know people will copy it, and I'm okay with that; enjoy!

Tomorrow my Disney College Recruiter is coming to hold a special information session for brand new cast members (YAY!) and their families!!!!! (I'm not excited or anything, can you tell?! lol) Stay tuned for more info!

I came across some really amazing pictures from inside the Cinderella Castle at Disney World. Hoping that my BBB position will be IN the castle... anyways, check em out!

TONS of classic Disney mosaics

BIBBIDY BOBBIDY BOUTIQUE inside Cinderella's Castle!!!!!!!!!!! (crossing fingers!)

Cinderella's Round Table

Cinderella's Suite (not open for booking... only selected families who win specific contests with Disney get to stay here!)

The BACK of the Castle! 

Horton!

This is Horton

Debated on a new laptop, or a new camera for my Disney adventure in the fall. Since I'm taking the fall semester off, I decided that a new camera would be my best expense =)

This is my new baby, his name is Horton. If you could see the lens, you'd know why!

Now it's time to put that credit card away! HAHA

CHATHAM SQUARE

I've decided on Chatham Square as my LIVING complex! The greatest part about having a program like this around these days is the fact that there is SO much technology to research every thing you want! Like, a roomate for example!!!! Through a picture on Disney College Program and comments of everyone's position and date of arrival, I was able to find a roomate who matched my similar interests---- WEDDING/EVENT PLANNING! Shut the front door!!!

She's from Ohio and she's driving down with her family the day before to meet me and my family for dinner so we can all get to know each other =) The next morning, we are literally going to be those crazy girls who get there like 2 hours ahead of arrival time! We're only doing this because we know what apartment we want, and we want FIRST DIBS! We're thinking a 3 bedroom with 6 total roomates will be most efficient for us... and a lot of fun getting to know everyone!

HOUSING TIP: While you're on the Disney College Program, rent is taken out of your paychecks weekly, OR by-weekly. When you have officially been accepted into the program, you will have to pay a processing fee of $100 and then your first 2 weeks of rent. Everything totals to about $305.80 (something like that). Vista Way will be cheapest in rent, Chatham Square second, and Patterson Court third (this is the newest complex). Rent can range anywhere from $80-$105.


So anyway, here are some pictures of the proposed apartment at Chatham! Some of the bedroom pictures I snatched from someone who actually lives in Patterson, but the rooms are so similar that it doesn't matter =)

Complex Entrance

Chatham Building

Chatham Dining Area

Chatham Kitchen

Chatham Living Room

Chatham bathroom

This is actually a Patterson Court closet, but Chatham's is identical. Comes with a locker too for private storage if you ever want to use it

This is a Patterson Court bedroom (the one i found of Chatham's had guys stuff in it, and that didnt look as cute as this!) Again, the bedrooms are sooooo similar, comes with the same 2 beds, end tables, and a dresser which you can kind of see in the bottom right corner!

So, yep! This will by home! =)

A Leap of FAITH

So, I decided I would write about my journey from the beginning so followers have an understanding of the Disney process =)

In my Hospitality Marketing class, a Disney rep by the name of Mel Morales randomly popped in to discuss the Disney College Program. In my first blog I mentioned that I've known about this program since Junior year in high school but never went through with it after my car was vandalized. Anyways, I wasn't even gonna go to class that day, but I'm really glad I did.

That afternoon after class they were holding their Presentation or what they call their "E-Presentation" if you view this online from home. This pumped me up completely! I heard so many stories of students who had started through this program and are now doing some pretty BIG things out there! During the presentation, Mel had said that the program is VERY selective 3 step process. I paid no attention to it. After the presentation, I waited in a 20 minute line full of 60+ kids waiting to get an information packet and give the DCP Recruiters their email addresses to continue their application process from home!

I waited 24 hours for an email to come through to me from Disney......... then I figured out that there was a CODE in the packet you received from the presentation. Once that clicked (cause I have Dori brain), I was online and applying.

STEP 1: Applying.
After you've viewed an On-Campus Presentation, or an E-Presentation, you should promptly apply to the program if you are truly serious about taking up this opportunity! If you viewed an On-Campus Presentation, it will ask you for the completion verification code, so make sure you have that! The application isn't all that long, but it will take about 40 minutes to complete. If your application is accepted and you are considered, you will go through Step 2.

Step 2: Online Personality Assessment Test.
This is another quick assessment so that Disney can verify if you qualify as a Strong Candidate to work for them. As with other companies who have these assessments, some questions that mean the same, may be worded differently... so just be careful with how you answer! There is a 30 second window for you to answer each question, and if it's not answered in that time, the assessment DOES move on! =) At the end of the assessment, it will tell you something... for me it said, "CONGRATULATIONS! You are considered as a STRONG Candidate. Please call Disney's (something something) to schedule your Phone Interview within the next 48 hours." Which brings me to Step 3.

Step 3: Phone Interview.
2 very looooooong days later, I had my phone interview with a Disney rep by the name of Sandy =) she was the sweetest girl EVER and our interview (which normally is supposed to last anywhere from 20-30 minutes) lasted US 40 minutes.... just saying! A few of the questions she asked me were thins like "What made you apply to the Disney College Program?" "How did you hear about the DCP?" "Tell me about an incident where you had to comfort a child who was upset." "Tell me about a difficult situation in your workplace that you handled." "What is your favorite ride at Disney?"--- that was NOT a trick question, just so that you know! "What would be your top pick to work in out of the ___ you listed?"
So that's a little bit about how it goes! My interview was great! I made sure she knew everything lol it kinda went like so:
"Hello?"
"Hi Erika, this is Sandy with Disney College Recruiting, how are you this evening?"
"Oh my gosh, I'm sooooo nervous, but I'm okay!"
"Aw, well don't be nervous! This is so exciting!"
"I knooooow!!!! Okay, I'm good now! (laughing)"
"(laughing) Great! So Erika, tell me how did you know that you wanted to apply for the DCP?"
"Well, Disney runs in my blood. I've been going ever since I was 6 months old. My family has a stone set in the walkway right outside the Magic Kingdom with our names on it, so it's just a very big part of me. But I've known about the program since Junior Year in HS and couldn't pursue it due to some personal things that happened before graduation, but now that it's well over three years ago, I'm ready to take A Leap of Faith."
The interview continued, and I continued to make her laugh (as I always do with people) with my answers! At one point she had asked me if I was going to be over 18 when I started the program... I had replied, laughing, "yeaaaa... no I'll be 21... Nonwellness for me!!!" She cracked up and we both laughed for atleast a whole minute until she finally said, "That was the best answer I have ever heard thus far!" =) I didn't think it was all that funny but hey, YAY! =) Towards the end of my interview I asked how she got to where she was now, and she told me that she was a prodigy of THIS program! That was really exciting to hear! Before we hung up, she concluded, "Thank you so much for opening up and being yourself and outgoing. You took the time out of your Friday night to have this interview and make it so exciting for me as well. I must say that you're the best phone interview I've ever had while working here, so thank you." =) THAT, was incredible to hear!

After all that, you're told that you will hear an answer from Disney within 3-4 weeks and it could be in 2 different ways: Email, or through Postal Mail.

I remember on my 2nd Friday after the Phone Interview, all day long I thought, "Just 1 more week... maybe 2 more weeks, if that!" 

That night I got an email (in my SPAM box, so make sure you're checking that too!!!!)

I will be working the FALL 2011 College Internship Program in the.......

BIBBIDY BOBBIDY BOUTIQUE!!!!

SO EXCITED!! =) Now, I'm just researching absolutely every little thing about the program and housing! Adding new people like crazy and following a lot of people's VLOGS/BLOGS! I know so much about Disney already, but I cannot wait to be there and discover all the unknown things!

What I'm most excited about when it comes to dinners and treats:

The Brown Derby (MGM/Hollywood Studios)

Oktoberfest (in Germany at EPCOT)

Dole Whip (in MK.. idk where to get it, but I WILL find it!)

The Kitchen Sink (at Beaches & Cream in the Yacht Club)

The California Grill (The Contemporary Resort overlooking the MK) with fireworks!

Coral Reef Restaurant--- all time fave! (The Living Seas Pavillion at Epcot) where you eat level with a HUGE aquarium!

Okay, this is a really super long blog... I'm done for today =)
Thursday I will be going to an ON CAMPUS "Welcome to Disney" Presentation thing with my family to hear more juicy gossip about the program!!

Wish me luck and focus throughout this week for my finals!!! hahahaha

Testing.. Testing!

Well... here it goes! This is the launch of my blog =) I am so excited for this semester to draw to a close! After working full time since graduating in 2008, I will be receiving my AA within the first week of May! I'm stoked! Now it's on to bigger and better things. In my junior year of high school, I wanted to do the Disney College Program, but my plans fell through when my car was vandalized close to the end of my senior year. In March 2011, I took a leap of faith and applied for the Disney College/Internship Program I've anticipated attending and I've been ACCEPTED and will be working in the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique for the fall!!!!!!!! I must admit, my three years of experience working at Sweet & Sassy has definitely influenced that... and I'm SO thankful that the Lord has blessed me with all of the right roads! What can I say... good things happen in threes =)

Until I move away from home... I'm continuing my own business with Mary Kay Cosmetics! I'm actually really excited because in Mary Kay there are no territories, so I can literally bring my business wherever I go! This means making some extra cash on the side when I'm not working-- so awesome. In July, I'll be attending our Seminar: Imagine Your Way To Beautiful in Dallas, visiting my best friend and goddaughter, and relaxing..... ALL two weeks out from me moving to Orlando!

We are 4 short months away from the big move! Will keep everyone posted with random blogs =)
Always with love, Erika