College Program Parents Thread...

[debadoo]

Thank you to all that replied to my post. It was really helpful. Our daughter is so excited, and we think it is going to be a great experience. I think, like all parents, it just takes us a bit of time to figure out the logistics. Although, I am lucky that my daughter is very good at figuring things out for herself and getting the information she needs. In fact, she is already talking to several possible room mates! I think I am going to take the advice of one of the parents, and stay for several days after check in, just to make sure she is settled in before I head back to the west coast. Since we have a business, my DH won't be coming for move in, so I can spend a few days solo in DW and really cover some ground!! Thanks again for all the recommendations and feedback. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[grover]

I wanted to give some feedback for parents who are on the fence about taking your ds/dd down or letting them go on thier own. At first I was going to go with DS, he kinda wanted me too. I finally decided his was something he could do/should do on his own. He had travelled extensively, was very independent etc. He flew down, took his clothes & electronics and got everything else there. There are buses to Walmart etc and he was able to go get his bedding etc. Disney has everything laid out for what he had to do etc. Looking back now he would have had no time to spend with us other than the one trip to the store. He was so busy with paperwork, settling in, meeting roommates, making friends, going to get togetherness and parties, training etc, he really did not need me there at all, glad I saved my time to go and see him in oct instead! So only you know your child but I just wanted to give you this perspective!

 

[dismsn]

Sorry Debadoo, I meant to respond to your question earlier. My daughter is there now and we live on the West Coast. She graduated from college in June and our youngest is a sophomore in college so money is tight for us so we had our daughter go by herself. She ended up renting a car (with her own money) so she could do the Walmart/Target & grocery runs. Since she was just 21, the car was fairly expensive but she thought the cost was worth it.

She took clothes, towels, some bedding (she bought a comforter there), shoes, some pictures to decorate her bulletin board, toiletries, and all the paperwork she would need in order to work there. She bought a few bedding items, a few things for the bathroom (she and her roommates decided what they would each bring for the apartment beforehand) and groceries. I think she said it all cost about $150. She got everything into two checked bags and one carry-on.

She plans to ship some of the items she bought there back home but I assume once she realizes how much that's going to cost she'll abandon that plan.

 

[grover]

Does anyone know what if there are blackout days for the cms & thier maingate pass over xmas/New Years? Trying to plan meals & need the figure out if they should be in park or not. We have our own Ap's, so just wondering about the maingate itself.
Thx!!

 

[wilkeliza]

Does anyone know what if there are blackout days for the cms & thier maingate pass over xmas/New Years? Trying to plan meals & need the figure out if they should be in park or not. We have our own Ap's, so just wondering about the maingate itself. Thx!!

Usually the CMs are never blacked out at WDW. maybe the 31st but that will be it. However unless your child has already been approved for time off don't expect much. I was lucky and got Christmas eve and Christmas (luck of the draw) but worked every day until my program ended on the 3rd.

 

[grover]

Usually the CMs are never blacked out at WDW. maybe the 31st but that will be it. However unless your child has already been approved for time off don't expect much. I was lucky and got Christmas eve and Christmas (luck of the draw) but worked every day until my program ended on the 3rd.

Thanks!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Since she was just 21, the car was fairly expensive but she thought the cost was worth it.

Some car rental companies in the Orlando area will waive the "Under 25" fee if you show a Cast ID.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Does anyone know what if there are blackout days for the cms & thier maingate pass over xmas/New Years? Trying to plan meals & need the figure out if they should be in park or not. We have our own Ap's, so just wondering about the maingate itself.
Thx!!

My daughter was blacked out of MK at different times during her program (spring advantage 2013).
Not a Lot....but it did happen.

 

[Praise2Him]

Does anyone know what if there are blackout days for the cms & thier maingate pass over xmas/New Years? Trying to plan meals & need the figure out if they should be in park or not. We have our own Ap's, so just wondering about the maingate itself.
Thx!!

As of right now there are no block out days for self-admission for CMs.

 

[dismsn]

Some car rental companies in the Orlando area will waive the "Under 25" fee if you show a Cast ID.

Thanks for that information, I'll let my daughter know in case she needs to rent a car again.

 

[CampingMom]

My daughter was blacked out of MK at different times during her program (spring advantage 2013).
Not a Lot....but it did happen.

I know my daughter said the weekends before Christmas are blacked out for family and friends in MK and the other parks are not cause we are going 2nd week and asked about then. I believe during the week of Christmas and New Years week are probably blacked out too. I will ask her when I talk to her.

 

[lacy1101]

Need some help from my DisBoards family.

My daughter is currently doing the CP (and has actually extended to Spring 2015, unless she changes her mind!). DH, DS (22), and I will be visiting December 24-28. We have made several trips to Disney and I am used to super-planning those trips. I am, however, at somewhat of a loss as to how to plan for this upcoming trip. With the maxed out crowd levels, I'm undecided on whether we will do any parks (her maingates are blacked out everyday we are there anyway). Add in the fact there's a good chance she will be working every day we are there (quite possibly lengthy shifts), I am really kinda starting to stress out here. I'm okay with the fact that I'm unable to plan every detail, but I want to make sure there are some things planned so that it is a enjoyable Christmas for everyone (it will be our first one away from home). We are driving, so I may take a small tree, as well as our stockings. Gifts will be kept to a minimum (probably only 2-3 from DH and I, with Santa giving cash). I have made some ADRs, and also a reservation for the Ft. Wilderness Sleigh Ride for Christmas night, but would love some suggestions on other things to do. If we decide on a park, it will probably be for only one day, so do we do that on Christmas Day or one of the days following Christmas? If we choose Christmas Day, which park would be best - EP for Candlelight Processional, DHS for Osborne Lights, AK for lowest crowds etc. (we know about the possibility of MK closing due to capacity so not sure we want to brave that)? We will not have her work schedule until 2 weeks before, so once I have that planning will be a little easier, but I know I can't wait until then to try and make any other reservations we might want.

I'm just not used to a Christmas away from home, so am a little lost on how to plan those magical moments that will make it a great experience. Please help!

 

[dizagain]

I just wanted to share a very positive experience my CP DD just had......Two weeks ago she left a shopping bag with her wallet inside on a CP bus. Careless of her and totally her fault. However, after calling Transtar to check, the bus driver did find it and he returned it to the bus office at Vista Way. It was close to midnight and she lives in Chatham so they told her they had locked it up and she could get it the next morning. Fortunately they went through it with her over the phone to verify what was in there and documented it in their records. When she went to get it, it was nowhere to be found! She was assured it was there "somewhere" and played phone tag with people for several days. Finally they said to go ahead and fill out a reimbursement form as they did not have it- they were reviewing video footage of office. Anyway, today the CFO of Transtar brought her a check in person for everything lost- wallet, replacement fees for license and school id, disney gift cards, cash- everything!! I am so impressed!!!

 

[Christine15]

Need some help from the parents board,

My daughter is a current CP and called me pretty upset. She had been trained to drive the package pickup van at her work assignment at a park and had a minor accident yesterday. She dented a storage pod with the van when she gauged the turn incorrectly. They had to send for testing which I know is standard at any workplace with an accident. Today at work her manager said he doesn't know what is going to happen. Has anyone had any experience with this circumstance?They wouldn't fire her for this would they? It was minor damage and her record has been clean up to this. I know at my and my husband's workplace something like this wouldn't warrant dismissal, is Disney different? I'd like to offer her some reassurance about this, I frankly wasn't thinking this until she told me what her manager said. Could she reading more into it.

Any feedback would be appreciated to hopefully ease my worry for her.

Thanks

 

[dismsn]

I'm just guessing and have no experience to base this opinion on but maybe the manager told your daughter he didn't know what would happen because they have to wait for the lab results. Maybe she'll be fine if the lab results are negative. I assume they would fire anyone who has anything that shouldn't be there in their system. If that is the case he couldn't reassure her without knowing the results of the test(s). Keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out well for her because accidents DO happen and they shouldn't mean the end of a job.

 

[wilkeliza]

Need some help from the parents board,

My daughter is a current CP and called me pretty upset. She had been trained to drive the package pickup van at her work assignment at a park and had a minor accident yesterday. She dented a storage pod with the van when she gauged the turn incorrectly. They had to send for testing which I know is standard at any workplace with an accident. Today at work her manager said he doesn't know what is going to happen. Has anyone had any experience with this circumstance?They wouldn't fire her for this would they? It was minor damage and her record has been clean up to this. I know at my and my husband's workplace something like this wouldn't warrant dismissal, is Disney different? I'd like to offer her some reassurance about this, I frankly wasn't thinking this until she told me what her manager said. Could she reading more into it.

Any feedback would be appreciated to hopefully ease my worry for her.

Thanks

Disney has a 0 tolerance policy for some things and driving is one of them. I know if she is found to have something in her system (even if it is from the night before) or it comes out she was on her phone she will probably be separated. Managers have to say they don't know because they really don't when it comes to accidents. I know if my position we had to drive the little pargo golf carts and if you were in a pargo accident you could either be fired or have your proficiencies dropped from pargo positions based on the severity. I only know one person who had his pargo rights taken away and that is because he was caught several times turning in the pargo while going too fast so it would go up on two wheels.

I would tell your daughter if she knows there was nothing in her system not to worry. In my experience the worst that will happen is she won't be able to get a package delivery rotation.

 

[Christine15]

Just heard back from my daughter and they said the car accident would be a reprimand on her record and no more working in package pickup. That's kind of what I was expecting but I know she's still upset about it. I tried to explain that it's a normal consequence out in the real working world and she'll get over it. It's a life lesson and she still gets to work at the World. Thanks for the input.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just heard back from my daughter and they said the car accident would be a reprimand on her record and no more working in package pickup. That's kind of what I was expecting but I know she's still upset about it. I tried to explain that it's a normal consequence out in the real working world and she'll get over it. It's a life lesson and she still gets to work at the World. Thanks for the input.

Glad everything is good. You are right it is a normal consequence in a regular job. She could be upset that it is a reprimand because 1 reprimand is 3 points and you are only allowed 3 reprimands in the same category. Safety usually goes straight to a reprimand though. It also would make it harder on her if she wants to stay or extend.

 

[DCPmom2014]

Good morning! It has been several weeks since I've logged on. For those of you following for a while, you know that my daughter was released from DCP due to breaking a housing rule - they were concerned about her depression and the possibility of harming herself. She assured them she was fine but they released her anyway. She ended up going to Universal and they hired her on the spot (actually her managers at Disney wanted her back but she can't reapply until May).

Anyway, she is loving the Harry Potter world she works in. My concern is that she has been able to see her regular doctor here in Ohio and she has no intentions of coming home anytime soon. Can anyone recommend a good psychiatrist in the Orlando area? She is sharing a home with other DCPers in the Davenport area but works at Universal so she can go anywhere.

Thanks so much!

 

[Praise2Him]

Our company has a program called Best Doctors that gives recommendations for you. My DD lives in Orlando and was looking for a psychiatrist and one that they recommended was Dr. Sheallah Palmer. She hasn't actually seen her, but I thought I'd throw it out there for you.