Hey guys, Well, i got through my telephone interview and had a letter saying i've got an interview in february! I'm so excited! I'm applying for food and beverage coz i've worked in a restaurant for years, and i think the contracts are to start in September next year?? Just a few questions tho... How old is everyone who does this!!?? random i know but i've just finished uni (i'm 22) and i get the impression that everyone else seems to have just finished school? or maybe ur all just big kids! How many hours a week do you work? What are the shifts like, time off etc. DO you get chance to go travelling around the area? Whats the living arrangements like? Can i get drunk?! Aaarrgh! i dunno what i need to know! Can someone just send me lots of answers to everything i havent' asked and tell me alllll about it! Cheers!
Hey Chris - welcome to our little Disney home!!! I'll try and answer your questions best as i can!! Firstly congrats on the interview - mine in on friday and am pretty nervous about it!!I think the interviews in february are fro contracts staring september 2004 - march 2006. The age range of people no the programme varies hugely from 18 (the youngest you can be to do the programme) and upwards! Im 24 - a lot of people are like you and apply for the programme after leaving uni and some are older ie 27, 28. I dont know if theres an upper age limit to apply! The hours/shifts you work depends whether you do f&bev or merch. IN food i think you work shorter shifts but more of them through the wek whereas in merch the shifts are longer and therefore you do less of them. I think this is the case but I'll know for def after i get all the info at the interview on friday. Maybe some of the canadians/germans who have recently interviewed could tell you more about this!!! AS for travelling - theres always opportunities. People i know that have done the programme have travelled all over the US from the florida Keys to New York and Califirnia - it just depends how much money you have I guess!! You live in the commons which is a large apartment complex. All apartments are single sex and range from one bedroom to four bedroom (I think) and each room has two people. Disnye try and mix up the nationalities in the apartments so youll be living with people from all over the world - which would be pretty cool!! And, as for getting drunk - youll probably be doing that pretty much every night! Youll be one of the lucky ones being over 21 who can drink in the US so will have a great time at Pleasure Island and also plenty of parties at the commons without the worry of getting caught and possibly terminated. Hope that helps - anymore questions then anyone on here would be happy to hekp!! Michelle xx
Hello Chris Bascially Disney Michelle answered most of your questions. I had my interview with Disney about 2 1/2 weeks ago. You will learn alot of good information at the interview. They have an awsome video that will be sure to get you pumped for the job. As for Merch you make 6.90 US, for food and beverage you make about 2.50US plus tips ( i believe i would have to double check the handouts I got) Living seems to be pretty chill. Again you live in the apartments which are pretty and seem to be nice. As for travelling you can. Disney Cruise is offered I believe at a discount rate for the employees. If there is anything else you want to know, ley me know...ps I am 19....and the age varies JOrdana
Cool, thanks guys. Can anyone settle the debate between merch and food and bev!? The pay difference seems pretty big, altho you obviously get tips in food and bev which probably make up for it. I've worked in a restaurant and i know it is long hours and hard work, but surely your meetin people/customers all the time and so maybe its a bit more fun? The merch people seem to give the idea that their job is a bit boring! Also, what are the places you work like? Are the restaurants "proper" restaurants, like table service, or they more like fast food style joints?
Im gonna go for f&b precisely cos i think therell be more guest interaction Im assuming youre from the uk. Theres a full-service restaurant and also a bar, along with a fast food/counter service harry ramsdens place and i think beer carts too - again, im not 100% sure as havent been to epcot for years!! I think there might be a lot more details on here somewhere if you get a chance to look through - or it might be on the boards which you can still search if you want to1 Michelle xx
There are a huge range of ages doing the program, I was 22/23 when I did it and I was somewhat in the middle. Â Some people have finished uni, some are doing the program as a work placement, some have just finished A-levels. Â Thats what makes the program good is that everyone is different. Â You'll probably find that apart from the drinking age (except around the Commons) age makes little or no difference) Hours a week will vary greatly. Â You are basically guaranteed a minimum of 30 hours per week although this will go up during busy periods such as Food and Wine Festival, Flower and Garden, Candlelight etc. Â Average is about 35 hours. Â They are reluctant to make you work more than 39 because you will be paid overtime and this is a big no no as far as Disney management are concerned. Shifts are often 8.5 hours (although you only get paid for 8 because of breaks) but they may only be 6 hours. Â This will depend on where you're working and levels of park attendance. Time off - you 'normally' get two days off per week. Â The schedulers try and get you two days next to each other although this doesn't always happen. Â You can get back to backs (the last two days off week one and the first two days off week two) so four day, but have to request these will ATLAS (All Things Labor and Support). Travelling round is really up to the individual. Â If you're in F&B, once you get into service and a tipped position you have loads of money to be able to do this. Â You can easily hire cars and go East to Daytona etc or West to Tampa and Clearwater on your days off. Â Longer trips do require a little more planning although a lot of people end up getting a large van and staying in motels etc. The living arangements are OK. Â You take a chance in terms of how many people you live with and how nice they are. Â Some apartments are renowned for parties where as others are generally quieter. Â Overall the Commons is a nice place to live (although it can feel somewhat oppresive at times) and is very close to shops, both clothes and groceries. Can you get drunk? Â Hell yeah. Â You will probably drink more in the year there than any other time. Â My advice is even during your early time there, through yourself into the crowds and go along with nights out etc. Â People who have been there for a while will know where the deals are and the best places to go. Â You will drink a lot around the Commons at parties, throw-ins/outs, and random nights, loads at Pleausre Island on Mondays and Thursdays and then nights/days at Bennigans which is next to Vista Way. You will have a fantastic time! Â Its like uni life on acid! Â You drink more, you have a great social life and the work pays for the nights out and makes up maybe 30% of the whole experience. Oh and I'd pick F&B over Merch 12 times out of 10. If nothing else its better money and working in Merchandise is ultimately the same the world over Enjoy Rich
Cheers rich and the other guys! It sounds so amazing and i can't wait until february for my interview! I guessed that the living arrangements would be pretty much like halls at uni, you might end with someone you don't like but there'll be plenty of wicked people around anyway! Another question tho (i keep thinking of more!) - this might sound silly, but a year is a long time so do you ever get bored of it all? I know its disney and every day is probably amazin but do you ever think "i don't wanna go into work today?" because at the end of the day your not doing the best job in the world working in a restaurant? I don't know if i'm being stupid thinking like this!
Hey Rich Well I have been reading alot that you write and it is so helpful. I had my interview about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I applied for Merch. Alhtough from what you say food and beverage is alot better. If you get hired on, can you switch through out the year, to f&b??? Do you remember how long it took them to get back to regarding you got the position. No one seems to have gotten anything yet... Jordana
hey chris, my names emma im 18 from liverpool! where are you from in the UK?? im also gona be there in february so maybe u wana chat sumtime so u know sum1 else there...altho im sure theres loads of us. CONGRATS!!!!! on getting thru!!! i wont be able to drink whilst im there but obviously it wont stop me going ill live it up in other ways lol!!! i ve deferred my uni entry to apply for disney. wot uni did u go? lol im kinda gathering info on that also coz ill be coming bak to it hopefully! wb love emma
hi emma, i went to uni in leeds, did a music degree and masters, so i'm 22 now, which scarily means that if i get into disney i'll be 24 when i finish! aargh! i'm getting so old! Can you only do the scheme once in your life? I'm sure i read somewhere about people doing it several times but i also thought that you could only get the visa once?
I thought that you can have the visa more than once, but only do the program with Disney once. I may be wrong though.
You can get the Visa more than once although the number of companies that use that type of visa are very few. The Cultural Representative Program is a once in a lifetime opportunity. When there were other programs on offer, you could do different programs like Jason who did the Hospitality Program and the International Management Program. I know of people who did swap part way through the year although there are limitations to this. They will only take you on in the other department if they need more CM's in that department. Also if you transfer, you never get the opportunity to move into a tipped position so you will be no better off as far as money goes. As for the length of time before your hear anything that can really depend. Some people were called te day after their interview, others didn't hear for a few weeks. I think in general they try to stagger it so those who will be starting their contracts sooner will hear sooner etc. Yes you will get bored of the job, the same as any other. Remember the job is what you make of it. As 'stereotypical' as it may seem, if you make an effort to interact with guests and kids etc, you will probably get more satistaction from the job. There are also plenty of distractions out there such as theme parks, beaches, bbq's, parties etc so if you have to work when all your friends have booked the day off and are planning to go to Universal, it is likely that you will want to join them and perhaps even call in sick. My advice is do this in moderation cause it will come back to haunt you when you have a really bad hangover and can't work but have used up your allowance of call-ins for that period. (Basically, if you call in three times within a 30 day period, you get a reprimand). Overall however, the job is great cause you are working with friends at the same time. Everyday is different because of the varied people that you meet from different countires and different backgrounds. Rich
when i first arrived there was a guy there called chris who was on his second time there. personally once was enough for me, what if the second time wasn't as good? it'd ruin all the good memories i already had ;D hi rich, you arrived just before i left x
Hi Chris I have an interview in February too....all nerves and excitement!! I'm from Essex and currently at Reading uni doing graphic design...in my fourth and final year (starting to feel a bit of a granny amongst the 18 year old freshers!! :-\ [I'm 21]). Welcome to our Disneyfied home...and now we can add you to our feb interview slot! I'm glad our group is growing!! Ellen x
