Hi all! I've been on here for quite a while now, and am finally going to be applying (from the UK) this year for summer 2014 (woo!) I have a couple of questions about dates... Anyone know the rough dates you can start (there are two I believe) and the rough dates they end? Also, how long are you allowed to stay in your housing after you finish the program? Do you have to leave straight away or are you allowed to stay for a couple of extra days for some "holiday" time? I think I know the answer to that, but no harm in asking! Good luck for everyone heading over there this summer! ;D
The dates change every year - for example I was late June to late August/early September, but this year the start dates are June 3rd/10th until I believe early/mid August... they can change them though. When I went they had 4 dates, a couple of years ago 3 but this year only 2. You also have to be able to make the dates - if your uni has you in lectures until the 15th June for example, you can't arrive late to Disney - and you might not be granted a visa if you should be in uni instead. I'm not sure if I could do the program now if I was still at my old uni just for that reason - I had to miss the last week of term both times, which wasn't a problem as my exams were done, but I could have had exams over one of the dates this year I think. Which I think is super annoying, potentially missing out on this because of term dates! For housing, you arrive on your program start date and leave on the end date. However, you get 30 days to travel the USA after your visa end date, and you can stay in a Disney hotel or another hotel if you want, you just have to be out of housing. Same goes for the start of the program - you theoretically can arrive in Florida earlier (yummy will tell you you can't though), you just can't arrive at housing before your start date. Many people travel after their program (great way to see the USA and spend some of that money you saved working... if you did ) either around the country or staying in Florida - I went all over after! Any more questions, feel free to ask xx
Brilliant, thanks! I thought that would be the case with the housing! Thanks for the info on dates too - I didn't know they changed them like that! I thought they'd change a little each year, but didn't think they'd change it from early September to early August! That's why I was confused, as I was seeing some people with mid-August end dates this year - I hadn't realised they'd changed. As for the start dates - luckily my University's summer term finishes on May 24th next year, so I will be available for any start dates, so long as they stay in June! Are you told which start and end date you've got when you are accepted? Also, do your cast member benefits stop on the last day of your program, or, for example, can you still get into the parks for free for a few days afterwards?
Yes, you are told your programme dates in your acceptance email I seem to remember at some point in the interview process they asked us what dates we were available for - and I know the late date (for me June 20th) was really popular due to uni term dates, but now they seem to have changed it completely. Which I can see why - it is so much quieter in the parks around Labour Day, so they don't really need the extra cast! Your cast benefits stop on the last day of your programme - so for example I finished work September 1st, my "end date" was September 3rd, so I could go into the parks until the 3rd, but on the 4th I couldn't. Back then your ID had your end date on it, which meant that you couldn't use the ID anywhere. Now they don't have the end date on them because they have a chip in it, so you can't use it to get into the park, but places around Orlando that have a cast discount you would probably still be able to show it if they didn't take your ID from you (they are supposed to but I still have mine...) and get the discount, it just doesn't work for things it needs to be scanned, such as entering the park! I have heard though that your maingate still works after your programme, but I have personally never tried in case it didn't - but I know someone who when into California with it (they run on calendar years not your programme dates) - but I'm not sure if it still would with the chip in the ID now. It's best to assume though that come the end date on your programme, you no longer have cast benefits. But - if you stayed around Orlando and wanted to go into the parks, the people you worked with will most likely be able to get you in with their maingate. Also, for hotels as long as you check in whilst still a cast member, you get the cast rate on the room (bear in mind you do have to book in advance on the hub, you can't just rock up to a hotel and be like "cast discount" lol). Glad I could help - I have so much useless knowledge from working there it should be shared! Maybe I'll make a blog post about it or something... xx
Thanks so much for your detailed responses! Getting so excited just reading about it, and haven't even applied yet! Do they still do the whole graduation ears thing? I thought they did, but haven't seen it mentioned in any of the blogs i've read! ???
As far as I know they still do graduation ears - you have a graduation event (they tell you when it is, and you hope you have it off or can trade/give away a shift to go), and there there's characters, games, maybe food(?), and you get your ears and certificate of completion. You can get your picture taken with Mickey and Minnie who are in caps and gowns (get your ears first haha), and then lots of people head into the park to see the fireworks. I'm pretty sure you can get your name engraved on the graduation ears for free, but I never did so I don't know for sure (and I don't think every shop is free - I'm sure someone said there was only certain places you could get it done but I might be wrong). xx
You got it Katie Not much has changed since your days except they have the graduations at Chatham Square field or at Vista Way (my CRP one was at Vista... talk about back to my roots haha). And yeah, you can get them engraved but only at one shop per park I believe - Le Chapeau at MK, Mouse Gear at EPCOT...
