Hello! I am a little confused on the whole money situation and getting paid out there. How do we get paid from Disney? And do we get a card or something like that? And do we have to pay each time we use it? What is the alternative? Can we get the money paid into the account, and then at the end of the program, take all the money out at once to take home? Confusion!! Thanks.
As I understand it you will be provided with a Disney Pay card which is basically a visa card that they load your pay (minus rent) onto each week. It works just like any other visa card so you can use it in shops/atms/etc. i have a feeling that I read that you will be charged for atm transactions (I'm not 100% on that one though).
I'd be very interested to see what you'll live on if you intend to take all your earnings home with you. You can either open a Disney Account, or a bank account with anyone else. Yours wages will then get paid into said account (minus bills and rent). I'm guessing you can get a debit card or cash card with these accounts, with which you can buy things etc etc (like food and souvenirs). Depending on the bank will depend on what charges you might get. ATMs in America almost all charge for using them, but paying with a debit card shouldn't (don't quote me on this) invoke any charges. One thing I'll say now... don't expect to save any money out there. Disney pays you enough for your rent and enough to live on, but you'll almost never be socialising and your food budget will be very low if you intend to bring any money back to the UK.
Sorry but this wasn't the case last year but it may depend on which programme you're on! I did the ICP last year (summer from the UK) and there was no choice, no bank accounts available its literally they give you a card, you activate it, each thursday (i think) they pay your wages-rent on to it and then you get one free withdrawal (from atms that dont generally charge) each week. To check your balances costs 50c or something so just check it on the computer for free etc. its dead easy, its accepted in anywhere a visa is or you can just keep taking the cash out every week xx p.s I doubt you'll have any left to come home with! lol xxx
if your on the CRP you have 2 options you will have a meeting in the first few days and someone from Disneys own bank (the vista federal credit union) will give you a presentaion all about their bank and all the benefits that it has etc - its basically a sales pitch so that you sign up with them and therefore do all your banking with them...... you get a cash card with their checking account (similar to a current account or card cash account) but the ATM card isnt a visa or anything,so it costs you money when you want to use a normal ATM or to pay by debit card in walmart etc,the only place you can withdraw cash for free with this card is at the vista cash machines at the housing complexes. i chose to open a bank account with SunTrust,they have a branch in walmart (be warned tho,its always VERY busy and takes ages to be seen because its always full of disney cast trying to open accounts!!!) they offer a normal checking account with a visa debit card - same as youd get with any high street bank in the UK. you even get a cheque book! they dont offer you an overdraft or anything tho. you have to wait until you receive your ssn before you can open this account tho and you have to take your passport with you to open it - basic banking practise. SunTrust were great,the staff were always really helpful and to have your disney wages paid in each week you just get a direct deposit set up and the money goes straight in! in the first few weeks tho you will be paid by cheque,and you have to go into the park and pick up this cheque from an office there,show ID etc and then you have to take this cheque and cash it (always did this at Publix supermarket,they did it for free but you cant cash more than 1 or 2 at a time) at the end of your year you can do whatever you like with your money - its yours! I just went to suntrust and withdrew my full balance and closed my account down - easy! If your wise and sensible with your money youl have a nice lump some to come home with (if your there for a year and in a tipped position!)
I think the CRP may have paycards now... Payment comes (minus rent) every thursday: Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday (EPCOT!!!) xxx
even if they have changed it to these paycard things you can still open a bank account with suntrust and do your banking with them,that has nothing to do with disney at all!
Yeah it's paycards now but most people I know went with suntrust. I never closed my Partners account from my first program so I just reactivated it, but one of my friends went there and argued that she needed a proper account for a year and they let her open one.
This was what i am hoping for! Ive heard that if you get into a tipped position, then the tips alone are enough to live on! If this is true, then i will simply just do that and not touch my account, and just let the wages build up until i finish my program
Go with suntrust... its the safe option. Partners will snatch all your dosh if you get termed lol. Hopefully i'll be able to reactivate my Suntrust account when i start the Cruise next week.
It really is possible to save money even if you're not getting tips. When I did the J1A program in 2006 I was earning less than people in merch do now, and was having to pay US uni fees and I STILL managed to save some money. Ok, it wasn't a lot, but if you're careful you can do it. Don't think that you have to be in a tipped role to make any money. Just take advantage of discounts and the fact that the parks are basically a free day out, and hunt around for bargins!
full service restaurants, housekeeping, concierge services are all tipped positions - if u are in a non tipped position and accept tips u can get termed - if the guest offers u the tip three tiems then u have to accept it but turn it over to ya manager and they decide if u can keep it or more likely not
Yeah sums it up! Pretty intense with the not being able to accept tips but I know of people termed over that very policy so dont take it lightly! Though by all accounts with what Jess will be doing I cant see people tipping her but you never know . As for the money bit it really boils down to how you want to live when your there. I wanted to travel while there, see the US and do alot of things so I didnt have much saved up for a LONG time. But being a server I was also in the position of being able to do that. But as my friend above has said you can save no matter where you work you just have to know how to do it!
