DCP- Check In, Casting, Traditions. Oh My!
Well - I’m officially moved in! I’d thought I’d walk y’all through what the first few days in the program are like!
A week before your check-in date, you’ll receive a handy dandy email listing your complex, your check-in time, and the timeline for your first week.
~ Check-In ~
So come 1/14 at 12:15pm, I pull up to Vista Way to check in. I heard a lot of people complain about parking, but I didn’t have any issues. There was a table outside where they checked if my arrival time was correct, and I was issued my program guide, given my official apartment number, and my key. Next, you head inside to take your housing ID photo. If you bought a parking decal, this is when it’ll be given to you. Finally, you get your ID and lanyard (not the cutest, but hold out on buying one. You’ll want a cute employee one from Company D to hold your housing and blue ID). Then - it is time to move in!
~ Casting ~
Usually, the next event you’ll have will be casting. This is basically where you will fill out paperwork for your background check. It takes about an hour with lines. You will take a photo for your blue ID (cast member ID) and get your fingerprints taken. There are Disney hints of magic everywhere, so I recommend taking time to look around while you’re there :)
~ Traditions!! ~
Traditions was, for me, the first time I really felt like I was working for Disney. You get to go to the famous Disney University. You hang out in the cafeteria until they call your time. You’ll have to arrive at DU by either 8am or 1pm depending on if you are a morning or night class. So if you have an 8:30 am time, you have to be there at 8am. If you have a 9am class, you still have to be there by 8am. From the cafeteria, your group will head to a classroom to learn all about Disney values and the four keys. I won’t spoil the surprise of the day, but wear shoes you are comfortable walking in.
After traditions, I recommend going to Company D, which is in DU. This is where you can get fun cast member merch like a Cast Member spirit jersey. Most importantly, you can get a cast lanyard. You’ll see a lot of these during your time. You need your blue ID on display while backstage, so nearly every employee has one. They are a simple string lanyard and you can pick a character pin to attach onto it. I also recommend getting a double-slide wallet. This will hold both your blue ID and housing ID.
You’re now free to go play in the parks and use your cast member discount! The discount takes about 48 hours to go into effect though. You can use it on non-Disney POS stores. So this can be restaurants or stores in the Springs that aren’t Disney owned. Basically anywhere you don’t need to scan the ID to get a discount, just show it. If you want to go into the parks, just tell the park greeters you don’t have your main entrance pass yet (takes about two weeks) and they’ll give you a one-day pass.
So in summary, that will be your first week in the DCP! You this time to really bond with your roommates and make friends! Get excited for the months to come :)