Disney World's prices are not cheap. Sure there are some affordable options, but generally when people plan their vacations they don't look for special events that cost extra. Park tickets and hotel are expensive enough. This is understandable, and for the most part you're not missing much. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was a bit of a disappointment for me but I'm glad I'm able to say I've been. With the Christmas Party they give you free unlimited cocoa and cookies, but the cookies and cocoa are heavy after a while (though they do warm you up when you need it). The parade is beautiful, but if you go to the park closer to Christmas you can see it (and Holiday Wishes) during regular park hours. So, the only exclusive things you're paying for when you attend the Christmas Party are the character meet and greets and the castle show.
This is not the case with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If you're like me and don't do well with Universal's Halloween Horror Nights then this party is the perfect spooky celebration for you. There's free candy (no matter what you're age), tons of rare characters, an amazing parade that you can only see at the party, and a castle show full of villains that are very rarely seen. Plus, there's dance parties, attractions that are decked out to look extra creepy, and special photo ops (last year they had Cinderella's Carriage out for special photo op) that more than pay for the price of the ticket. Not to mention the cast members look and act like their having a blast and so many other guests turn up in outstanding costumes.
There's much fun to be had and many memories to be made. Now how can you best enjoy all of these perks?
First of all, your party ticket will get you into the Magic Kingdom at 4 PM. Use that time to ride attractions or eat dinner. The attractions are open during regular park hours so I would skip those from the hours of 7 to midnight. The one exception I would make is The Haunted Mansion because there is something extra special about sitting in a Doom Buggy on an extra spooky night at the Magic Kingdom. Plus, there's Madame Leota's sisters who entertain guests from the lawn of the Mansion while they wait in line. They're absolutely delightful.
Second of all, go to the second parade. The crowds are smaller and it's easier to find a spot to sit down. If you want a really good view (for you or your little ones) expect to be there at least 45 minutes before the parade. Use this time to regroup or eat, if you didn't earlier and I suggest finding a spot in Frontierland. The parade ends there first so you can move on to the next activity sooner. The same concept applies to the Villains Mix and Mingle. The later the show the easier it is to find a spot. There's usually one last show after 11 o'clock, that's the one you should go to.
And finally, meet the characters you can't find any other time. For instance, if you're a fan of the princesses or have a little one with a favorite Disney couple, the Disney Princes are out with the Princesses every night. The interaction between the Princesses and their true loves is not something you'll want to miss. There's also characters like Jack Sparrow, Gaston, Jafar, The Seven Dwarves, Mad Hatter and characters you'll find in other parks (but here they're in their very special Halloween Costumes.) Some of these characters require getting in line before the party starts (the Seven Dwarves can be a monstrous wait) and some of these it's best to wait until the party has been under way for a while (the Princesses and Princes won't be out until all the regular day time guests have gotten out of line so more than like these characters won't be out until 7:30 or so.) The best suggestion if you're a character hunter like me is to start in the back of the park and work your way forward.
Something you can't miss at the Halloween Party is meeting at least one major villain. After the Castle Show, Villains Mix and Mingle, the Villains have their own special meet and greet. These characters (with the exception of The Tremaines) are almost never out. Here you'll find Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Frollo, Dr. Facillier, Cruella DeVille, Captain Hook, and the Queen of Hearts. They don't have time to do autographs or talk very much but it's a can't miss photo op that you'll talk about for years to come. Get in line as soon as the shows over. The line's build up fast and the Character Attendants will cut them off when the meet and greet time is over. No exceptions.
And the very last thing that we can't forget, is HalloWishes. Now, first off, I'm not a fireworks enthusiast. I love them and I think they look amazing, but I don't go out of my way to view them. So I decided to skip HalloWishes at my first party and then I caught it later on the beach at Polynesian Resort (where they pipe in the music. They also do this at the Contemporary.) I enjoyed much better at a distance than I did up close, but that's not to say HalloWishes isn't an amazing fireworks display. If you're going to catch it make sure you find a spot with a quick exit to make it through the crowds and get to your next activity. But I definitely suggest skipping the massive crowd as it's uncomfortable and more than like your view will be obscured. If you can work it out catch the fireworks another night at the Contemporary or the Polynesian.
Anyway, those are my tips and suggestions for enjoying the Halloween Party as well as my reasons why the party as a whole is worth the price of the ticket. It's definitely one of my favorite Disney events, and I'm getting ready to attend for my third year in a row. I absolutely love it.
Because, as Uncle Walt said, "Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."
Showing posts with label Info Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Info Post. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
[INFOPOST] Reasons to Stay On Property
I know so many people who have gone to Disney World and stayed at an outside hotel, and that's totally fine (I've done this before too.) Off property hotels work really well for large parties (the vacation homes in Orlando are surprisingly affordable to rent) or guests who plan to visit Seaworld or Universal more than Disney. But if you want to Disney World, I mean really do Disney World, and you have a party of 6 or less then the on property hotels and resorts are really the best way to go. You're close to the magic, you have complimentary travel to and from the parks, free parking at theme parks, extra time inside the actual parks before offsite guests, and amazing staff to make your stay so much easier.
The quality of the Cast Members Disney hires and trains never fails to amaze me (even after being a Cast Member myself). Everyone is extremely helpful and they want nothing more than to make your trip as worry free as they can. Plus, they're always up for more than a little fun. I've stayed at one resort at every level except for Deluxe. Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Villa. All three experience were extremely pleasant. The first Disney Resort I ever stayed in was Old Key West in a one bedroom villa. We arrived early for check in, but we were able to check in anyway and leave our bags with Cast Members and then head out to the parks right away. When we arrived back at the resort that night our luggage and our purchases from that day were waiting on us in our room.
That was my first exposure to Disney service. I didn't have to lug my bags anywhere and while shopping inside the park I didn't have to carry around my plastic bags filled with purchases. I could just have them shipped to my room and by the next day they would be there waiting on me. It was wonderful.
And then there was Extra Magic Hours. One of the best perks to have ever been thought up. Every day, one park has EMH. Sometimes it's one hour in the morning and sometimes it's up to three hours at night. At the end of this year, that extra three hours after closing is officially changing to two (which I'm sure is a great relief to Magic Kingdom CMs, who often had to work until 4 in the morning to restock and clean the park.) But those extra hours allow you to get a lot done that the crowded general guest hours may prevent you from doing. Plus, there's nothing like experiencing the Magic Kingdom at 2 AM. It's just a whole different kind of magic.
The transportation to and from the parks is an excellent perk as well. It saves a lot of gas and a lot of money. Not to mention you no longer have to worry about finding your car at the end of every night. The only drawback is waiting on the bus after park closing. Sometimes it takes forever to finally get on one due to the sheer number of people wanting to ride them.
The next time I stayed at a resort was during my College Program when my parents came to visit. We stayed at Coronado Springs. It's a lovely quiet resort with lots of beautiful theming. This resort is home to a lot of business conferences so you'll find there aren't many families staying here. But I really enjoyed the design of the lobby. It was gorgeous. This was the trip I discovered the free parking for resort guests. As a CM I received free parking anyway but to do so I had to show my CM ID. So my parents decided to drive instead of wait for the bus and I had my ID all ready to show the Cast Member's who take the money for parking, but he didn't need it. He saw the Resort parking pass and just waved us on through. It was the best surprise of the day for me because leaning forward from the back seat to the front driver side window was very uncomfortable and awkward. So from then on we had no fear of driving and no need to follow bus schedules. It was very liberating.
The last time I stayed on property was last October. I stayed at the Pop Century resort and enjoyed every minute of it. This time I was able to enjoy Magical Express, a flawless service, and the services of the CM's who greet at the front desks in the resort lobby. These two services absolutely made my trip. Michelle and I came from two seperate states but managed to end up on the same flight thanks to the genius of Southwest Airlines (who I highly recommend by the way. Their one way flights are more affordable than connecting flights most of the time.) Because of this we were able to use Magical Express, the bus service that picks you up at the airport and takes you to your resort.
Now, keep in mind that this is not a direct trip to your resort. The bus stops at other resorts in the area too. But when you sign up for Magical Express you're sent a booklet that contains your passes for the bus and directions to the terminal where you will be picked up. Essentially Disney has had a section of the baggage claim area sectioned off for bus queues. You show the CMs that are waiting your passes and then wait in the very first Disney queue of the trip for your bus. You do not have to stop and collected your bags unless you're being picked up super early in the morning or super late at night. Otherwise, lovely cast members will pick up your bags and transport them to the resort for you. You're sent special luggage tags to mark your bags.
The wait for the bus can be lengthy, but it mostly feels that way because you know you're just so close to the Disney magic. The cast members that are there to supervise this service try to make it go by as quickly as they can. They joke and entertain and try to keep you busy. There are buses that are decorated especially for the service, but there are also average yellow Mears transportation buses that pick up as well. While on the bus you're shown a video that highlights the advantages you'll be enjoying while staying on property (all illustrated with various Disney characters).
When you reach your resort you're told to head straight to check out because your bags will be brought to your room when they arrive. Check out was a very quick process, there was basically no wait when Michelle and I arrived at the Pop. We checked in and then headed to our room to take a break and settle in as much as we could. Not even a half hour after we arrived my bag was brought to our door. Michelle's arrived a little later and we were both a little worried about that, but Disney had it all under control.
Departing is just as easy as arriving. The day before you depart your boarding passes are sent to your room (provided you're flying with an airline that partners with Disney, Southwest does.) Your bags will be checked in for you and all you have to do is take your luggage to luggage services by the drop off entrance to the resort. You don't even have to check out of your hotel. You can just leave. Michelle and I took them our bags earlier that morning and then headed off to Downtown Disney until the scheduled pick up time we were given. This service saves guests so much time and effort and it really makes things worry free. I enjoyed every bit of it.
The other part of the trip that I found to be amazing was check in. The Cast Member that was helping us really paid attention and knew what we needed before we did. All I did was mention briefly to Michelle that we needed to go to the Ticket and Transportation Center and pick up the tickets we had a will call and he immediately had a suggestion for us.
We could pick up the tickets at the front desk as long as we had our confirmation numbers. I had mine so he was able to add my park tickets to my room key and then use a separate hard plastic key-card for my Halloween Party ticket. This made my life so much easier. We still had to go to the TTC for Michelle's tickets but it eased my mind to have mine in my hand when we left to check out our room. Plus having the tickets I purchased separately added to my room key left me with less to keep up with. I was really impressed with that Cast Member and how closely he was paying attention to the guests in front of him. It was truly excellent service.
And all of the above is why I encourage people to stay on property. You will not find any company more accommodating than the Walt Disney Company. They try their hardest to make things as convenient as possible for their guests because they know people really don't want to worry or think while on vacation. Isn't lovely to have someone do all the work for you, for once? I think so. And I haven't mentioned my favorite part...
Cast Members at the resort cannot accept tips unless they are servers in one of the restaurants. There's no risk of a bellman being rude to you because he thinks you tipped him too little. Or being rushed to your room because you're not expected to be a good tipper. No one to awkwardly stand around until they've received whatever tip they deem appropriate.
Not to say that some people do not truly deserve tips because some do, but in my experience, hotels with staff that expect to be tipped do not have good guest service. Yet another reason why, if possible, I try to work out a way to stay on property on my trips to Disney World. Disney cast members are so much nicer and work so much harder and yet they don't expect a tip. Now, that's a staff that deserves to be tipped and appreciated. Don't you think?
The quality of the Cast Members Disney hires and trains never fails to amaze me (even after being a Cast Member myself). Everyone is extremely helpful and they want nothing more than to make your trip as worry free as they can. Plus, they're always up for more than a little fun. I've stayed at one resort at every level except for Deluxe. Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Villa. All three experience were extremely pleasant. The first Disney Resort I ever stayed in was Old Key West in a one bedroom villa. We arrived early for check in, but we were able to check in anyway and leave our bags with Cast Members and then head out to the parks right away. When we arrived back at the resort that night our luggage and our purchases from that day were waiting on us in our room.
That was my first exposure to Disney service. I didn't have to lug my bags anywhere and while shopping inside the park I didn't have to carry around my plastic bags filled with purchases. I could just have them shipped to my room and by the next day they would be there waiting on me. It was wonderful.
And then there was Extra Magic Hours. One of the best perks to have ever been thought up. Every day, one park has EMH. Sometimes it's one hour in the morning and sometimes it's up to three hours at night. At the end of this year, that extra three hours after closing is officially changing to two (which I'm sure is a great relief to Magic Kingdom CMs, who often had to work until 4 in the morning to restock and clean the park.) But those extra hours allow you to get a lot done that the crowded general guest hours may prevent you from doing. Plus, there's nothing like experiencing the Magic Kingdom at 2 AM. It's just a whole different kind of magic.
The transportation to and from the parks is an excellent perk as well. It saves a lot of gas and a lot of money. Not to mention you no longer have to worry about finding your car at the end of every night. The only drawback is waiting on the bus after park closing. Sometimes it takes forever to finally get on one due to the sheer number of people wanting to ride them.
The next time I stayed at a resort was during my College Program when my parents came to visit. We stayed at Coronado Springs. It's a lovely quiet resort with lots of beautiful theming. This resort is home to a lot of business conferences so you'll find there aren't many families staying here. But I really enjoyed the design of the lobby. It was gorgeous. This was the trip I discovered the free parking for resort guests. As a CM I received free parking anyway but to do so I had to show my CM ID. So my parents decided to drive instead of wait for the bus and I had my ID all ready to show the Cast Member's who take the money for parking, but he didn't need it. He saw the Resort parking pass and just waved us on through. It was the best surprise of the day for me because leaning forward from the back seat to the front driver side window was very uncomfortable and awkward. So from then on we had no fear of driving and no need to follow bus schedules. It was very liberating.
The last time I stayed on property was last October. I stayed at the Pop Century resort and enjoyed every minute of it. This time I was able to enjoy Magical Express, a flawless service, and the services of the CM's who greet at the front desks in the resort lobby. These two services absolutely made my trip. Michelle and I came from two seperate states but managed to end up on the same flight thanks to the genius of Southwest Airlines (who I highly recommend by the way. Their one way flights are more affordable than connecting flights most of the time.) Because of this we were able to use Magical Express, the bus service that picks you up at the airport and takes you to your resort.
Now, keep in mind that this is not a direct trip to your resort. The bus stops at other resorts in the area too. But when you sign up for Magical Express you're sent a booklet that contains your passes for the bus and directions to the terminal where you will be picked up. Essentially Disney has had a section of the baggage claim area sectioned off for bus queues. You show the CMs that are waiting your passes and then wait in the very first Disney queue of the trip for your bus. You do not have to stop and collected your bags unless you're being picked up super early in the morning or super late at night. Otherwise, lovely cast members will pick up your bags and transport them to the resort for you. You're sent special luggage tags to mark your bags.
The wait for the bus can be lengthy, but it mostly feels that way because you know you're just so close to the Disney magic. The cast members that are there to supervise this service try to make it go by as quickly as they can. They joke and entertain and try to keep you busy. There are buses that are decorated especially for the service, but there are also average yellow Mears transportation buses that pick up as well. While on the bus you're shown a video that highlights the advantages you'll be enjoying while staying on property (all illustrated with various Disney characters).
When you reach your resort you're told to head straight to check out because your bags will be brought to your room when they arrive. Check out was a very quick process, there was basically no wait when Michelle and I arrived at the Pop. We checked in and then headed to our room to take a break and settle in as much as we could. Not even a half hour after we arrived my bag was brought to our door. Michelle's arrived a little later and we were both a little worried about that, but Disney had it all under control.
Departing is just as easy as arriving. The day before you depart your boarding passes are sent to your room (provided you're flying with an airline that partners with Disney, Southwest does.) Your bags will be checked in for you and all you have to do is take your luggage to luggage services by the drop off entrance to the resort. You don't even have to check out of your hotel. You can just leave. Michelle and I took them our bags earlier that morning and then headed off to Downtown Disney until the scheduled pick up time we were given. This service saves guests so much time and effort and it really makes things worry free. I enjoyed every bit of it.
The other part of the trip that I found to be amazing was check in. The Cast Member that was helping us really paid attention and knew what we needed before we did. All I did was mention briefly to Michelle that we needed to go to the Ticket and Transportation Center and pick up the tickets we had a will call and he immediately had a suggestion for us.
We could pick up the tickets at the front desk as long as we had our confirmation numbers. I had mine so he was able to add my park tickets to my room key and then use a separate hard plastic key-card for my Halloween Party ticket. This made my life so much easier. We still had to go to the TTC for Michelle's tickets but it eased my mind to have mine in my hand when we left to check out our room. Plus having the tickets I purchased separately added to my room key left me with less to keep up with. I was really impressed with that Cast Member and how closely he was paying attention to the guests in front of him. It was truly excellent service.
And all of the above is why I encourage people to stay on property. You will not find any company more accommodating than the Walt Disney Company. They try their hardest to make things as convenient as possible for their guests because they know people really don't want to worry or think while on vacation. Isn't lovely to have someone do all the work for you, for once? I think so. And I haven't mentioned my favorite part...
Cast Members at the resort cannot accept tips unless they are servers in one of the restaurants. There's no risk of a bellman being rude to you because he thinks you tipped him too little. Or being rushed to your room because you're not expected to be a good tipper. No one to awkwardly stand around until they've received whatever tip they deem appropriate.
Not to say that some people do not truly deserve tips because some do, but in my experience, hotels with staff that expect to be tipped do not have good guest service. Yet another reason why, if possible, I try to work out a way to stay on property on my trips to Disney World. Disney cast members are so much nicer and work so much harder and yet they don't expect a tip. Now, that's a staff that deserves to be tipped and appreciated. Don't you think?
Friday, April 30, 2010
[INFOPOST]Things to Think About: Career Development (a.k.a. -- The NEW Disney Plan)
Sorry for the long title, but this is half a personal update post and half an info post. Enjoy!
So, if you saw my post a few days ago then you read about my tiny drama with Disney and my loans and enrollment. Well, it's all fixed now. I went to see Sharon at Career Development yesterday, and if you've been following my blog from the beginning then you know that Sharon is a LIFE SAVER. She works directly with Wayne, our campus recruiter, and the campus reps to help set everything up for Disney. She basically keeps my school's relationship with Disney alive and well. Anyone at AppState who is interested in applying for the program should make an appointment with her. She's very understanding of your concerns and will help you find a way to ease them.
Also, I urge anyone at any school to track down the Career Development representative at your school that works with Disney. Not all schools have them, but most do. It's the smartest decision you'll make. How would you go about finding this person you ask? Well, I'll tell you how I tracked down Sharon.
I went to the presentation schedule on the college program site, and found my school. To the very right of my school's listing was Sharon's name and her school assigned e-mail. I e-mailed her and told her I was going to be applying for the program and asked what she suggested I do before I applied. She responded back and then said that I could call and make an appointment with her if I wanted to discuss these things in person. So, I did. I have met with her a total of three times now, and each time I have learned something new about this process.
Your school's Career Development office can be VERY helpful to you so USE it! You won't regret it.
Back to the main point of this post though, Sharon helped my figure out my enrollment situation. I will now get elective credit for two classes while I'm at Disney which will keep my Grace Period from activating. This means that the exploration series class I planned to take is out the window, and I will now be taking two of Disney Collegiate level courses. I have a list of four that's ranked in favor of the two I want to take the most. I have two back ups in case the ones I want fill up before I check in.
The two classes that I'm hoping to take are:
1) Marketing You
2) Creativity and Innovation
My back ups are Corporate Communication and Organizational Leadership (At least I think that's what their called, lol.)
I'm in the middle of exams right now so I'll probably be posting a lot more as a means of procrastinating and distracting myself (it's what I'm doing right now.) I'll be done with exams on May 4th (May the 4th be with you: International Star Wars Facebook Status Day) and I'll be moving home on the 5th after a long day of packing and cleaning my apartment.
So far I've got no updates to give you on the job front, but Sharon gave me a great idea. If I can't get a steady job I could always babysit. Extremely flexible hours, and money to make credit card payments plus I have TONS of experience to back it up. Also, my mom's a hair stylist with rich clients who might have kids or grandkids that need watching so I could give her a flier to put up at her station. And I think there's a website where people who want to babysit can put up a listing. I can't remember what it's called though. If anyone out there knows please feel free to comment and tell me.
Well, that's all for today! Until next time, have a magical day!
So, if you saw my post a few days ago then you read about my tiny drama with Disney and my loans and enrollment. Well, it's all fixed now. I went to see Sharon at Career Development yesterday, and if you've been following my blog from the beginning then you know that Sharon is a LIFE SAVER. She works directly with Wayne, our campus recruiter, and the campus reps to help set everything up for Disney. She basically keeps my school's relationship with Disney alive and well. Anyone at AppState who is interested in applying for the program should make an appointment with her. She's very understanding of your concerns and will help you find a way to ease them.
Also, I urge anyone at any school to track down the Career Development representative at your school that works with Disney. Not all schools have them, but most do. It's the smartest decision you'll make. How would you go about finding this person you ask? Well, I'll tell you how I tracked down Sharon.
I went to the presentation schedule on the college program site, and found my school. To the very right of my school's listing was Sharon's name and her school assigned e-mail. I e-mailed her and told her I was going to be applying for the program and asked what she suggested I do before I applied. She responded back and then said that I could call and make an appointment with her if I wanted to discuss these things in person. So, I did. I have met with her a total of three times now, and each time I have learned something new about this process.
Your school's Career Development office can be VERY helpful to you so USE it! You won't regret it.
Back to the main point of this post though, Sharon helped my figure out my enrollment situation. I will now get elective credit for two classes while I'm at Disney which will keep my Grace Period from activating. This means that the exploration series class I planned to take is out the window, and I will now be taking two of Disney Collegiate level courses. I have a list of four that's ranked in favor of the two I want to take the most. I have two back ups in case the ones I want fill up before I check in.
The two classes that I'm hoping to take are:
1) Marketing You
2) Creativity and Innovation
My back ups are Corporate Communication and Organizational Leadership (At least I think that's what their called, lol.)
I'm in the middle of exams right now so I'll probably be posting a lot more as a means of procrastinating and distracting myself (it's what I'm doing right now.) I'll be done with exams on May 4th (May the 4th be with you: International Star Wars Facebook Status Day) and I'll be moving home on the 5th after a long day of packing and cleaning my apartment.
So far I've got no updates to give you on the job front, but Sharon gave me a great idea. If I can't get a steady job I could always babysit. Extremely flexible hours, and money to make credit card payments plus I have TONS of experience to back it up. Also, my mom's a hair stylist with rich clients who might have kids or grandkids that need watching so I could give her a flier to put up at her station. And I think there's a website where people who want to babysit can put up a listing. I can't remember what it's called though. If anyone out there knows please feel free to comment and tell me.
Well, that's all for today! Until next time, have a magical day!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
[INFOPOST] Things to Think About: Financial Aid
If you're applying for the program then Financial Aid should be one of the first things you think about. If you're applying in January for the Fall you've got to think about the FAFSA, If you've got private scholarships you'll need to meet with your financial aid counselor, and if you've got loans you'll need to make sure the program doesn't accidentally activate your college loan "grace period."
Some schools make it difficult to meet with your financial aid counselor (like mine.) Our counselors at ASU prefer to do things over the phone rather than in person, but it may not be that way at your school. Also, it depends on what kind of financial aid you have. All of my financial aid is Federal and is a result of my FAFSA so all I had to worry about was how to re-apply for FAFSA.
I called my counselor and she told me to apply like I did every year and just to fill it out like I was coming back in the Fall and then when I hear back about my awards I would need to make it clear WHICH semester I would be accepting them for.
Also, the FAFSA Customer Service lady told me to make sure the "grace period" on my student loans was tripped while I was in Florida. If you have a loan you get a "grace period" before you have to start paying them back, and it's possible that my absence from school while on the program could be seen as me no longer being in school. My "grace period" could start while in Florida and then I would have to start paying back loans when I return home. We definitely don't won't that.
So I've got to call Financial Aid today and make sure nothing happens with my loans. Hopefully, she'll ask if I want to make an appointment. I would really feel better discussing it in person. It just feels more official than discussing it over the phone. If she doesn't, though, I can deal. As long as I KNOW that the government knows I'm not through with school yet.
Anyways, there's your hopefully helpful post for the day! No Formspring Wednesday once again. This week I had only one question from my cousin Kayla, and it wasn't really a question about the program. It was a personal thing. So I'll answer her question privately.
Don't forget to ask me stuff though! You can use the widget on the right side or you can go directly to my Formspring at http://www.formspring.me/angellwings
Also, I'll be posting a new Vlog tonight! Part 4 will be posted tonight and Part 5 will be posted tomorrow!
Until next time, have a magical day!
Some schools make it difficult to meet with your financial aid counselor (like mine.) Our counselors at ASU prefer to do things over the phone rather than in person, but it may not be that way at your school. Also, it depends on what kind of financial aid you have. All of my financial aid is Federal and is a result of my FAFSA so all I had to worry about was how to re-apply for FAFSA.
I called my counselor and she told me to apply like I did every year and just to fill it out like I was coming back in the Fall and then when I hear back about my awards I would need to make it clear WHICH semester I would be accepting them for.
Also, the FAFSA Customer Service lady told me to make sure the "grace period" on my student loans was tripped while I was in Florida. If you have a loan you get a "grace period" before you have to start paying them back, and it's possible that my absence from school while on the program could be seen as me no longer being in school. My "grace period" could start while in Florida and then I would have to start paying back loans when I return home. We definitely don't won't that.
So I've got to call Financial Aid today and make sure nothing happens with my loans. Hopefully, she'll ask if I want to make an appointment. I would really feel better discussing it in person. It just feels more official than discussing it over the phone. If she doesn't, though, I can deal. As long as I KNOW that the government knows I'm not through with school yet.
Anyways, there's your hopefully helpful post for the day! No Formspring Wednesday once again. This week I had only one question from my cousin Kayla, and it wasn't really a question about the program. It was a personal thing. So I'll answer her question privately.
Don't forget to ask me stuff though! You can use the widget on the right side or you can go directly to my Formspring at http://www.formspring.me/angellwings
Also, I'll be posting a new Vlog tonight! Part 4 will be posted tonight and Part 5 will be posted tomorrow!
Until next time, have a magical day!
Monday, February 22, 2010
[INFOPOST] Purple Folder and Job Description!
Okay so my role is Merchandise. Which means I'll be working at a retail store on Disney property. For my friends and family that follow this blog and don't know what my role entails I'm going to paste the DCP website's info in this post so they'll know. So here are the basic things my job includes:
Merchandise
Responsibilities may include:
•Demonstrating and selling merchandise in indoor and outdoor areas
•Cash handling - both manual and using computerized registers
•Stocking and cleaning shelves and carts
•Receiving/putting away stock and deliveries
•Stroller/wheelchair rental - including repetitive lifting, stacking, and pushing strollers and wheelchairs
•Preparation of food/candy
•Selling of alcohol and tobacco
•Providing information to Guests
•Approaching Guests and engaging them in conversation
•Preparing packages for shipping/delivery
•Working independently or as part of a large team
•Standing for extended periods, working outdoors
Additionally on Saturday my actual purple folder came! YAY! To me this folder is a precious thing. It's amazing. It's got the "Living, Earning, and Learning" basic overview information, and the letter letting me know that I'm in and my role and my pay rate. Then there's a sheet about the Disney Look, and a "Parent Fact Sheet." There's also 3D glasses for me to use on this game they have on the DCP website that you can play once you accept your role and pay your fee (which I've done.)
Here's a picture of me and my folder (I might take another one later, this picture isn't my favorite of me ever):
Merchandise
Responsibilities may include:
•Demonstrating and selling merchandise in indoor and outdoor areas
•Cash handling - both manual and using computerized registers
•Stocking and cleaning shelves and carts
•Receiving/putting away stock and deliveries
•Stroller/wheelchair rental - including repetitive lifting, stacking, and pushing strollers and wheelchairs
•Preparation of food/candy
•Selling of alcohol and tobacco
•Providing information to Guests
•Approaching Guests and engaging them in conversation
•Preparing packages for shipping/delivery
•Working independently or as part of a large team
•Standing for extended periods, working outdoors
Additionally on Saturday my actual purple folder came! YAY! To me this folder is a precious thing. It's amazing. It's got the "Living, Earning, and Learning" basic overview information, and the letter letting me know that I'm in and my role and my pay rate. Then there's a sheet about the Disney Look, and a "Parent Fact Sheet." There's also 3D glasses for me to use on this game they have on the DCP website that you can play once you accept your role and pay your fee (which I've done.)
Here's a picture of me and my folder (I might take another one later, this picture isn't my favorite of me ever):
Until next time, have a magical day!
Monday, February 01, 2010
[INFOPOST] What is the Disney College Program?
I've gotten this question a lot since I started this blog, and since I have about half an hour until my group meeting at four I thought I would take a few minutes to answer that question.
The Disney College Program is basically a paid internship that allows college students to spend a semester working at the Disney Parks and Resorts. For a lot of people it is the first step towards a career with Disney. I'm hoping to be one of those people. The program really only takes place during the semester, but they do have a summer program for Alumni. You can take classes while being a part of the program. I plan on taking at least one class. They give you a place to live (and automatically deduct weekly rent from your paycheck.) If you're a DCP alumni you have the opportunity to apply for certain internships that other people can't which could lead to a career with the Disney Company.
And that, my friends is the Disney College Program in a nutshell.
I added a Formspring to this blog so if you're reading this and you have questions for me then feel free to ask! I would be more than happy to answer them!
The Disney College Program is basically a paid internship that allows college students to spend a semester working at the Disney Parks and Resorts. For a lot of people it is the first step towards a career with Disney. I'm hoping to be one of those people. The program really only takes place during the semester, but they do have a summer program for Alumni. You can take classes while being a part of the program. I plan on taking at least one class. They give you a place to live (and automatically deduct weekly rent from your paycheck.) If you're a DCP alumni you have the opportunity to apply for certain internships that other people can't which could lead to a career with the Disney Company.
And that, my friends is the Disney College Program in a nutshell.
I added a Formspring to this blog so if you're reading this and you have questions for me then feel free to ask! I would be more than happy to answer them!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
[INFOPOST] Disney or Bust!
Alright, so this is my old blogger from high school. I've cleaned it out, retitled it, and now here we go. I was looking around the internet and found out that lots of Disney College Program hopefuls start blogs. So, here we go.
First of all, let me say...I have not counted my chickens before they've hatched.
I'm starting this process with the idea of rejection in mind. I've made plans for insurance and financial aid and housing whether I'm at school in the fall or not, but let's cross our fingers that I'm invited to be a part of the program.
Okay Step One: Attend a Presentation or Watch the E-presentation--
The presentation on my school's campus are scheduled for Feb. 8th & 9th. I can't attend either presentation so I watched the E-presentation.
Step Two: Apply Online--
I applied last night. so that's step is done.
Step Three: Complete the Web-based Interview--
I did this and was kind of freaked out by the time limits on the question but it was pretty simple and really just a way for them to get a feel for my work ethic and personality. I was asked to call and schedule a phone interview. I called and then remembered it was the weekend so I'm going to have to call back on Monday.
Right now I'm celebrating the fact that I've got a phone interview! That's a positive step forward! Wish me luck as I continue on. I'll post again once I schedule that phone interview on Monday!
First of all, let me say...I have not counted my chickens before they've hatched.
I'm starting this process with the idea of rejection in mind. I've made plans for insurance and financial aid and housing whether I'm at school in the fall or not, but let's cross our fingers that I'm invited to be a part of the program.
Okay Step One: Attend a Presentation or Watch the E-presentation--
The presentation on my school's campus are scheduled for Feb. 8th & 9th. I can't attend either presentation so I watched the E-presentation.
Step Two: Apply Online--
I applied last night. so that's step is done.
Step Three: Complete the Web-based Interview--
I did this and was kind of freaked out by the time limits on the question but it was pretty simple and really just a way for them to get a feel for my work ethic and personality. I was asked to call and schedule a phone interview. I called and then remembered it was the weekend so I'm going to have to call back on Monday.
Right now I'm celebrating the fact that I've got a phone interview! That's a positive step forward! Wish me luck as I continue on. I'll post again once I schedule that phone interview on Monday!
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