#jendoesdcp

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Thanks for answering! I don't even know if they'd get to come visit, but they were asking so I was curious. I appreciate the help.

Of course!!! I also posted this awhile back about a good time for family to visit. I think it's worth checking out - http://jennthehenn-does-dcp.tumblr.com/post/78555002054/when-your-family-wants-to-come-for-christmas

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

I am a junior in high school and definitely want to do the DCP when I am in college. I have two questions about it that I am hoping you can answer. 1) What is the best year (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) to do the DCP? 2) Would you recommend the Spring or Fall program? Thank you in advance for your help! :)

I did the program the Fall after I graduated and I was so glad I did! I don’t know if I ever would have gone back to school. I probably would have transferred to UCF and continued to work at Disney. It was also really nice to not have any schoolwork and classes to worry about! However, if you do the program earlier in your college years, there’s always the opportunity of completing one program and then going back a couple of years later and doing another - but then of course there is always the chance that you won’t get that second program.   

I did the fall and I loved it! I had never been to the parks during the holidays and was so glad I got the opportunity to be there for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, AND New Years! It was really fun seeing a different kind of Disney. And the Halloween and Christmas parties are absolutely worth the money you have to spend to go to them! $40 tickets if you go to Halloween in September and Christmas in November - no one is there yet, Magic Kingdom is pretty empty, and it’s a blast! 

Spring or Fall, either way I would recommend doing Advantage though! I didn’t because I wanted to have the summer home with my boyfriend - dumb idea, get in all the time of your program that you can! 

[jennthehenn-does-dcp]

Hi! I saw you said you weren't happy with the roommate situation in your DCP. Were you paired with people you didn't like or was it something that happened during the program?

I knew two of my three roommates before check in day..the third just happened to be behind us in line at check in and we asked her if she wanted to room with us. I liked them all and It started out great! 

I had a very different work schedule than they did. Two of my roommates worked at Magic Kingdom and one worked at Downtown Disney...they often went to work later in the afternoon and were scheduled late into the night. I worked a steady 9 to 7 and went to dinner with people from my location almost every day after work. I was gone before any of them had woken up and I was asleep before they got home. 

It's quite the long story....but there was also an incident that happened towards the beginning of the program. I said something to one roommate and she completely misunderstood what I had said and hated me from that time on. Her and one of our other roommates thought I was always avoiding them because I was never home. They said some pretty hateful things to my face and behind my back to people who knew me. After that I wanted nothing to do with them and was so very happy the day I moved out. It is what it is. 

[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]

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!