So I thought I would do something fun so that people can start learning about each other. So I desided to start with myself and give you info about my experiences. I plan on hopfuly getting some of you on the list to fill out a general questionare (that I still will have to come up with) and post it on here for all to read. So here is me:
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Hello there, thanks for stopping by. Now I bet you are wondering who is this Chad guy anyway, and why should we trust him with this info he is putting on here? Well this post is to answer just that, to give you the general story of my college program/Disney experience.
I was not really a huge Disney fan until late in my High School days. During my Junior year my High School Marching Band was in the afternoon parade for Magic Music days at WDW. After the parade we were let free in the park for the rest of the day. That was when I got bit by the bug I guess you could say. About a year later I went on a trip to WDW with my parents and a friend. During the planing for that trip I started to do some research about the parks, and that is when I really started to get into Disney and found out about the College Program. After finding about about the CP during my Senior year in High School, I knew it was something I wanted to do.
My first Freshmen semester in college I was real excited when I saw the posters go up about the College Program. My plan was to go to the meeting to learn more and sign-up for an interview just so I knew how it all goes so when I would interview "for real" later on in college, I could have a leg up. I figured that they would never accept a freshmen into the program but if i did get accepted, I would decline the offer. I waited and watched my e-mail for my rejection letter. The date they had set for me to find out by I received an e-mail saying that they had extended the deadline and they were still considering my application. At that point I really gave up and said to myself that I didn't get it, so I pretty much forgot the whole thing. Then one day I got an e-mail with congratulations note with an offer for Quick Service Food & Beverage. After getting the acceptance and talking it over with my parents, I could not turn the offer down. It was decided that I would go.
So there I went, in the Spring of 2002 to my first CP. I lived in a 3-bedroom apartment in Chatham (19103). I was assigned to work at Blizzard Beach. But when I arrived Blizzard Beach was closed (as it does every winter) so all the CPs who were assigned there were sent over to work at the All-Star Resorts. Most of us were assigned to All-Star Sports, but a few were spread over the other two resorts. We stayed there until about March and then we were sent to Disney's Wide World of Sports to help with the Atlanta Braves' spring training there. There I was able to usher a few baseball games and a couple other roles. Finally Blizzard Beach opened and the group of us finally started to work there at their food locations.
During my time at Blizzard Beach I was fortunate enough to train and work (what Disney calls a Cross-U) as a Lifeguard at the park for a few weeks.
Overall my first CP was great and had a wonderful time. So wonderful in fact I came back, applied and got a job at my local Disney Store (where I still work part-time today). I also became a campus rep and have loved talking about my college program ever chance I could/can.
And this brings us to last spring (2005, the end of my Junior year). I applied to do an Advance (now Professional) Internship, and in a nut shell, I had 3 phone interviews and did not get accepted. So after that, a big of pushing for a friend who was going in the fall, and the realization I needed a class which I needed to graduate was only offered in the spring I decided to do a 2nd CP (when I originally was going to wait until after graduation to go again). I was offered a role as a Merchandise host and I accepted.
So back I went, back in Chatham (23302) and assigned to work at World of Disney. This time I worked at WOD the whole semester (with about 3-4 shifts over at Disney's Days of Christmas). I had lots of fun working there, though it got really busy during I had alot of awesome co-CMs to work with that made it that much better.
So after last fall, I came back, finished school and am now returning for my third CP (after another failed attempt at getting a professional internship). This fall my role will be in Operations and I can not wait for it to start.
My future plans including staying down in Florida after this CP and working full-time for the company or hopefully getting a Professional Internship.
So that in a nutshell is my story. Please feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer them or find someone who can. I hope you can get as much out of the program as you can as it is a wonderful and unique opportunity.
