Some randon thoughts to anyone thinking about doing the DCP*
*I wrote this for a good friend and wanted to share.
Okay - I could talk about the program for days! The application is in three parts. There's an application (which is easy peasy), a web based interview, and a phone interview. I wasn't intimidated by the web based interview at all- except that I just found out one of my good friends from the program applied again for next spring and she failed the web based interview - even though she's already done the program once! So that really stinks!
If you do pass the web based interview you get to schedule a phone interview. For me it was pretty stress free- they ask a few questions and I'm pretty sure they know if they want to hire you right away. She asked me why I wanted to do the program, what role I wanted if I had ever had roommates before, and then if I had any tattoos...that was all the interview was!
One of the earliest steps is to decide what you want to do in the program. You rank all of the roles into high, moderate, low, and no interest at all. If you do not want to do something I can not stress it to you enough DO NOT give it any interest. Don't think that you won't get in just because you don't put a lot of things in your interests! This is how I ranked all of the options.
High: Character Performer, BBBoutique Hostess Moderate: Attractions, Merchandise, Main entrance operations, character attendant Low: quick-service food/beverage, lifeguard, recreation, full service food/beverage, hospitality, concierge No: custodial, photopass photographer, housekeeping, hopper, bell service, vacation planner, costuming, transportation
I can give you the nitty gritty about some of the positions too! You hear a lot about other peoples jobs and how great/terrible the are!
Okay so I highly recommend the program but I know there are some people who don't like it at all- there's always going to be some people who love it and some people who hate it. Lots of people leave before their program is up and lots of people extend for another program. The only reason I didn't stay is because I thought that I needed to get a real job and I would have wanted to switch locations (which is hard to do in back to back programs)
If you want to work, play, and live in Disney - do this program. If you want to play, live, and work in Disney - don't do this program. Does that make sense? You will work a lot- assume that you'll never have time to go to the parks or have any fun and then you'll be surprised at your days off and the amazing things you get to do!
I am very glad that I did my program after I graduated. I would NOT have wanted to go back to school after my semester at Disney! One that that I should have expected but would have liked to know before is that people joke that CP stands for Close Park. And it most certainly does. As a CP you will almost always be scheduled for the closing shifts. That means if you're working in retail at downtown Disney and the stores don't close until 1 am you will most certainly work from like 5pm to 2am. If you work at attractions in Animal Kingdom they almost always close that park by 7...so your shifts will most likely be 10am to 7:30pm.
You don't get off weekends but you do get a weekend. I always got two days off in a row and it was almost always Thursday and Friday- so Wednesday was "my Friday" and I worked in a building that closed at 7pm so I was always scheduled until 7:30pm - sometimes my shifts started at 1:30pm, sometimes 10am, and the occasional 7:00am (those days aren't as bad as they sound)
Another important thing - if you're doing a fall CP you will be required to work on/around Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and you don't get paid special for it. The idea of not being able to go home for the holidays was rough at first but it's definitely worth it! Disney also kind of understands so they compensate by giving you holiday discounts- 60% of resorts for you and your family/friends, 40% off merchandise, etc.
