Ok so I was wondering - how hard is it to get places if you don't have a car? Is there an apartment complex that is better located? I know they are sort of in the same area (with vista further away), but I just wondered which complex ya'll think is in the best location!? Thanks
I dont know about the longer programs because I would guess you might get a slight "cabin fever" feeling without a car... but for the 3 month ICP, it didnt really matter which complex you were in because there were buses from all of them to the disney parks, downtown disney and then also the florida mall and walmart (they're free because you're a cast member) Also I made friends with a couple of americans who had cars so I managed to bum some lifts off them! There are also taxis and (crap) public transport...
Oh okay thanks I'll be there for a year so I'll prolly figure it out with time, but I just wanted to find out if one apartment was better located
I might be a bit biased but i think Vista is better without a car because there are more things within walking distance. Walgreens is across the road, there's a wendy's, chick-fil-a and some other restaurants that are about a 5 minute walk away, or less. You can get to Crossroads and Alehouse in about 15minutes by foot as well, whereas by bus, it can take nearly an hour! The other complexes are next to each other with a publix and the outlets nearby but that's it, i wouldn't attempt to walk anywhere else from any of them! Plus i just love Vista Way!!
LOL. If you are there on the CRP for a year then it is most likely you will be placed in the Commons which is a complex pretty much just for CRPs...
why does everyone think I'm doing CRP because I'm there for a year? :S The ICP in my country, NZ, only gives you the option of 6months or a year. ...so no I won't be put in the commons as I'm not CRP
I walked to Publix several times from Chatham... I didn't need much food so I could carry it! It takes about 20 mins/half an hour to walk there - it felt longer in the heat though! And if you feel like you need a car, you can sit the Florida driving test and then buy one... it's probably worth it if you're there for a year! xx
I would say Vista is the better location, but there's busses everywhere or you can get a taxi pretty cheaply. There's no point worrying about which apartment's better, each complex has good points and bad points but it's all part of the experience. I'm more of a go with the flow kind of person, I don't think you need to know every single detail before you get there. You'll figure it out pretty quickly and it's fun to find things out for yourself. In the UK the majority of people going out for a year are on the CRP, that's why people make that assumption. It's difficult for us to give you advise on your program because it's obviously a completely different set-up to our ICP. Maybe you should ask somebody that's done the same program that you're going on?? On our UK ICP we don't get any choice over which complex you're put in, but that might be different for the year long ICP.
It doesn't matter anyways which complex is better because you don't get to choose where you live!! So don't even worry about it
Are expected to be tipping these bus/shuttle drivers? Cos after housing expenses it turns out we get under $30 a day to eat and buy things...
That might be right, but when i arrived they handed me my apartment key straightaway so they do have it all arranged before you get there, so i doubt they'd let you change then because i think it would cause a bit trouble when they're trying to organise everyone else who's arriving. They usually tell people to see how they find it for a few days. No way!! You would have NO money if you had to tip them everytime you need to get a bus!
No tipping!! They are there to serve the cast members and thats what they do so you dont need to pay them anymore money!
That definitely didn't happen last year - I know a few people who asked to be moved. You'll get told to wait 3 weeks and apply to move which costs about $50. After 3 weeks you'll have a pretty good idea where everything is and whether it's actually worth moving. DON'T TIP the bus drivers!! Some of them put signs up in the busses asking for tips which I'm pretty sure they aren't supposed to do. You're specifically told you don't need to tip them, you really would spend all of your money tipping haha!
You don't tip your bus drivers at home, do you???? (I really hope the answer to this is no) You can't request where to live at the interview, because you haven't been accepted yet (and may come off looking a little too overconfident which is not really a good thing) and they will just automatically place you somewhere. Its usually based on groupings of your program, so no, you don't get to choose. If you want to move they make you wait about a month and then you have to pay a fee to move. And honestly is it really worth the hassle? Again, why it doesn't matter where you live- you are never home anyways except for sleeping! (and even then you may not be in your bed haha)
