#dcpadvice

[loverofbooksblog]

DCP HOPEFUL FOR SPRING 2016

Omg, I have my phone interview with disney in two days and I wasn’t nervous before, but now I’m terrified! 

I want to get in SO BADLY! 

[letsrattlethestars]

PLEASE GIVE ME TIPS FOR THE PHONE INTERVIEW. I've looked all over the Internet, made a study guide, and I set my interview for Sunday so I have time to prepare. I just want to be as prepared as possible so if you have any words of advice for me please contact me.

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

What didn't you like about the DCP? :)

Well let’s see...When my program was over I was so ready to go home for so many reasons, but looking back I had such a great time it’s hard to pin point what I didn’t like. Of course it’s a job…so there’s that. It’s difficult being a CP sometimes because you’re surrounded by people who don’t think they need to follow the rules and mostly get away with not following the rules. That’s really one of the hardest parts. You, as a CP, are the bottom of the food chain and you could get termed at the drop of a hat…probably literally. And there are plenty of CMs that are just completely jaded - it’s easy to follow suit and forget that you’re working in the most magical place on Earth.Sometimes I wish I had a better roommate situation - but I realize it could have also been a lot worse. And because I didn’t ever want to be home I got out and spent a lot of time with my friends from work and now they’re some of the greatest friends I’ve ever had. We’ve gone back to Disney together and play to have a Disney reunion once a year! I love them…and if having a crappy living situation led me to them, then I am very fortunate that it happened that way! But of course….there’s nothing a trip to Magic Kingdom and a dole whip can’t solve! 

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Hey. I'm doing Attractions for the DCP Fall 2014, and I'm curious about the process. I didn't get a chance to tell my interviewer any preferences I had in location. When did you find out where you would be placed and how difficult was it to be trained?

Typically you don’t find out where you’ll be placed until check-in day but I was a bit of an extenuating circumstance…I had a medical accommodation because I couldn’t work outside in the Florida heat. I found out about a month before I went down there where I would be. I talked with someone in casting and we kind of discussed that my only option to be inside was Innoventions. When I initially did my interview I didn’t mention where I wanted to go, I didn’t think I needed to. But then read afterwards that the interview was the time to do that! When I was talking to the guy from casting I told him how badly I wanted to be put on the Great Movie Ride and how I wished I would have mentioned it before - he told me that requests like that typically don’t work our in your favor anyway. The interviewer will listen to what you have to say but the chances of you getting placed where you request is very slim! And training - my location was a bit different from the typical location….so this may not be applicable at all! The first show I learned at Inno was difficult but I had a great trainer and I didn’t know anyone yet so it was easy to sit in the training room and not be distracted. The second show I learned was 20 pages of dialogue and I thought I would never make it through! I had a great trainer but there’s only so much they can do when you just have to sit and memorize. The hardest part about learning the last three shows was that I was scheduled from 7 to 7…training 7 to 3, on the floor from 3 to 7. It’s absolutely impossible to get things to stick when you’re running on a schedule like that! Of course testing your new shows is very difficult…but when you get tested out with a good trainer they’re nothing but helpful and it helps keep the stress down! I wonder if anyone else has some good advice about training in a more traditional attraction environment?!   

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

DALLAS DCP AUDITION TOMORROW!

I'll be there with one of my already accepted friends! :) 

Need any last minute encouragement or advice?

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Does CP stands for College Program? Nope! CLOSE PARK!

Okay so CP really does stand for College Program, and you will get used to being called a CP...but there's a nice little saying swirling around that CP stands for Close Park. 

One of the things about being a CP is that you are there to fill in the gaps for all the time that full timers don't really want to work and when you have people working with you that have been at Disney since 1974, they have worked long enough to earn that. So naturally those times end up being late at night, holidays, and weekends - and don't even think about overtime, you'll never get it!  

As a CP you will almost always be scheduled to work on weekends and close your location. (okay wow this post is a mess - hopefully it's still helpful)  You'll typically have an 8 to 10 hour shift - sometimes longer and sometimes shorter. Some CPs may have a two day "weekend," some may have a three or just a one! It all comes down to location. Now of course everyone's hours and experiences are different but I know they won't give you overtime and they have to schedule you enough so you have money to pay rent. 

Closing - I worked at a location that was only open from 9am to 7pm. My shifts, 9 out of 10 times ended at 7:30pm.  Sometimes they would start at 7am - giving my a pesky 12 hour shift Most of the time they would start at 9 or 10am - this is a typical shift Sometimes they would start at 1:30 - these are irritating 6 hour shifts Now sometimes you'd get a shift from 9 to 5 - these may sound fun but you'll find that all your friends aren't leaving until 7:30 and then you're begging for an extension! 

Does going to work at 7am sounds terrifying to you? There is good news!  If you're in Magic Kingdom you get to "close park" too! Sometimes, Magic Kingdom stays open until 1 in the morning or later....that means you'll be there until 1 in the morning or later....but they're not going to torture you by making you come in 7am and work an 18 hour shift. 

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Some Disney Lingo to know - Work Edition!

CDS - Cast Deployment System?           I actually don't know if that's really what that means, but this is the computer system that tells you when and where you're going to be working.

CDS Slip            This is the piece of paper that prints from the CDS computer and tells you where you'll be working. Typically you take this to the person listed on the slip - this will bump them to break, lunch, or clock-out.

Bump Out - "I have your bumpout."           This lucky CM gets to go home! 

Rotation          A rotation is a pattern of work locations that you'll follow. This is kind of hard to explain without just giving an example so here goes: at the Storm venue you have - Preshow, Greeter, Show, and Storm Kit. You revolve around these positions continuously until someone comes to send you on break. Every work location is different of course. 

ER - Early Release          If you're a CP you'll probably never get one of these. Bye. 

Extend         You most likely will never get overtime but if you are working and want to stay because your friends are working than you can apply for an extension. You probably won't have to worry about getting this because you will almost always be staying until close anyway! 

"It's my Friday!"          You'll get used to hearing this any day of the week! The lovely CP your talking to is excited that they'll get to sleep and eat tomorrow! 

Fun story time: One day Meredith and I went to Hollywood Studios and rode Tower of Terror...we asked a CP where her CDS slip said she was right now...she told us the names of the different positions in her rotation and we chatted with her until we got in our elevator. Afterwards, she let us ride again without waiting in line! Make friends with other CPs, talk to them! They'll love it and reward you if they can!   

My location didn't use terms like rack out, but I know they exist!  Think of anything else I can add?

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Some Disney Lingo to know - People Edition!

DCP - Disney College Program             You probably already knew this one. This refers to the Program itself. If you follow the Disney College Program tag on tumblr, trying looking at the DCP tag too. There's a lot more there too! 

CP - College Program         While you're at Disney you will be called a CP, this means that you are in the College Program and you are at the bottom of the food chain. Sorry.

CM - Cast Member          These are full-time cast members, if you're not a CP and you're not seasonal, you're a CM. You typically will only see this written, no one really calls anyone a CM. 

OP - Old People          I don't know if this is applicable to any other location but we called our full-time cast members OPs because it sounds cooler than CM and 90% of the full-time cast members were over the age of 40...so there's that. 

Seasonal - Part time Cast Members       These are the people that only come around once every few weeks or once every few months. You are required to come back and work to keep your proficiency. Most of the time we like these people, they're typically younger and/or ex-CPs.

Guests - Anyone visiting Disney property Vacation Club Members - they spend a lot of money and think they know more than you 

Season Pass Holders - they visit a lot and don't think they know more than you 

This definitely isn't all - feel free to message me with additions!