http://behindthemagic.libsyn.com/podcast/s02e43-behind-brittany-earns-her-ears
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Behind The Magic Podcast
I guest-starred on Behind The Magic's podcast this week, where I discussed my book, Brittany Earns Her Ears with co-hosts Rachel and Zeek. You can listen to the podcast at the link below:
http://behindthemagic.libsyn.com/podcast/s02e43-behind-brittany-earns-her-ears
http://behindthemagic.libsyn.com/podcast/s02e43-behind-brittany-earns-her-ears
Sunday, July 26, 2015
DCP Q&A July 2015 Edition
I've collected some questions from the DCP Facebook page to make another Q&A post on this blog. If you have any other questions feel free to comment here or ask on my Facebook page, at facebook.com/brittanyearnsherears.
Q: Is the application process difficult?
A: It never was before, but as of the past couple of application season, there's this stage of the process called "submission." Submission is the point in the process where your application has been submitted but you haven't been asked to move on to the next step which is the web-based interview. Unfortunately, some applicants are stuck in submission until they are ultimately deemed "no longer in consideration" when applications are coming to a close. While this is extremely disappointing, there's still hope to be accepted in the future. I know plenty of CPs and alumni who have been accepted after being in submission at least once. There is also no way to know what makes Disney move along your application or what makes them put you in submission. The writers of the official college program blog have said that it depends on each individual application and what they're looking for, but they won't get into specifics. While I do think statistically speaking you have a better chance of being offered the web-based interview than being in submission, I also think it's important to be realistic about it and to not get your hopes up.
Chaz was in submission for the Fall 2014 program, but was accepted for custodial for the Spring 2015 program!
Q: Is the web-based interview difficult?
A: I don't think it's difficult, as long as you focus on the questions you should do fine. Sometimes it tries to trick you by asking the same questions worded differently, so just make sure you pay attention and have consistent answers.
Q: How should I find my roommates? Should I try Facebook, or should I just go random?
A: In college, I had a crappy experience with a random roommate, so for that reason alone I would recommend trying to find roommates on Facebook. I would just advise you to be picky. During my first CP, I found roommates on Facebook and we all got along really well, but my second time was slightly more random and it was really difficult at times. Looking for roommates on Facebooks allows you to be more selective. If you start talking to someone on Facebook and you realize you don't think it will work out, it's easier to tell them that from the get-go than to live in an apartment you're not happy with during the program.
A: In college, I had a crappy experience with a random roommate, so for that reason alone I would recommend trying to find roommates on Facebook. I would just advise you to be picky. During my first CP, I found roommates on Facebook and we all got along really well, but my second time was slightly more random and it was really difficult at times. Looking for roommates on Facebooks allows you to be more selective. If you start talking to someone on Facebook and you realize you don't think it will work out, it's easier to tell them that from the get-go than to live in an apartment you're not happy with during the program.
My roommates from Vista 510 were the ones I found on Facebook. We had no real problems with our apartment, and went out together on a regular basis.
Q: What is costuming like?
A: The DMV of the Walt Disney Company. It's the place you never want to go, but you have to go to on a fairly regular basis. It's kind of cool the first time you go, just to see what it's like, but otherwise it's kind of annoying. Disney's sizes are also terrible. The pants run really small and the shirts run really big.
Disney costumes-- probably the strangest clothing you will ever wear.
Q: Is it hard to get days off?
A: You can request days off online, and if they're able to, you're managers will approve them and you'll be able to see all of that online. As for giving away shifts, it kind of depends on your role and location. If you're in a role like merchandise or custodial (where anyone in that role can pick up your shifts regardless of their primary location) it can be pretty easy to give shifts away. In other roles, where you need to be trained at your specific location in order to pick shifts up, it is harder to give shifts away simply because less people are trained in that area. In general though, it isn't difficult and you can usually get days off if you start trying far enough in advance.
Visiting my first home in Dinoland during a day off on the Spring 2015 program.
Q: Is Vista Way really crazy?
A: The short answer is no. Although Vista does have the reputation of being the party complex, each apartment really is what you make of it. You can easily live in Vista and go to parties every night, or ignore it all together.
A: The short answer is no. Although Vista does have the reputation of being the party complex, each apartment really is what you make of it. You can easily live in Vista and go to parties every night, or ignore it all together.
Q: What are the discounts like?
A: There are tons of discounts you get while working for Disney. In addition for all things Disney like cruises and other kinds of vacation packages, you also get discounts at restaurants, movie theaters, and more in the Orlando area. The Disney discounts I used most regularly included:
A: There are tons of discounts you get while working for Disney. In addition for all things Disney like cruises and other kinds of vacation packages, you also get discounts at restaurants, movie theaters, and more in the Orlando area. The Disney discounts I used most regularly included:
- main gate pass-- got me into the parks for free, as well as three friends or family members six days out of the year
- 20-40% off merchandise
- 20-40% off dining
- 30-60% off resorts
- 10% off park tickets
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My book is on Amazon! Click here to order your copy on e-book or paperback today!
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Spring 2016 Facebook Q&A Vista vs. Commons
The Spring 2016 DCP Facebook page sent me questions they have about the college program, and I'm working on answering them. Because this first question ended up having a very lengthy answer, I'll be posting answers to the rest of the questions later in the week!
Q: What were your experiences like living in two different apartment complexes? Pros? Cons? Which did you prefer?
A: While I was in the college program, I lived in Vista Way and the Commons.
Vista Way Pros:
- close to bus stop
- walking distance to Walgreens, Chick-fil-a, Wendy's, Dollar Tree, Cici's, and a couple of other restaurants
- central bus hub(The buses tend to sit at Vista for a while, which might be annoying if you don't live in Vista, but convenient if you live there. Also, all the buses stop at Vista, and some of them only stop at certain complexes upon request.)
- laundry on the first floor of each building (I would say this is a pro, because some apartment complexes have separate laundry buildings instead of having it in the building you live in)
- two pools (Although I almost never used the pool near the bus stop, it was nice to have it as an option)
- One of the cheaper options (As the oldest complex, rent at Vista is typically cheaper than the other apartments, assuming you're not looking to have three to a bedroom anyway.)
Vista Way Cons:
- further away from the other complexes (While it is possible to walk to the other complexes from Vista it isn't really a great walk. The other three complexes are all comfortable walking distances from each other.)
- Some of the places that are in walking distance require you to cross a pretty dangerous intersection on foot. Orlando is full of terrible drivers, and regardless of the lights and crosswalks the intersection is still really dangerous. I've done it, I'm pretty sure all Vista CP's have done it, just know that you have to be really careful, and I definitely felt better about walking there in a group of people and not alone.
- Vista's reputation (This is only a con if you're concerned about what others think of where you live. There were parties in Vista, but there were also parties in all the other complexes, and you can easily avoid them if you want to.)
Commons Pros:
- laundry in the apartments (This is the biggest pro of living in the Commons. Not having to leave your apartment at all to do laundry, or pay for it with a credit card or quarters)
- The Grid (The Grid is the convenience store located at the Commons. They have everything from hot coffee, toiletries, groceries, and even prepared dinners and hot sandwiches. It's really convenient when you get the bus home and don't want to cook, or need things and don't have the time to go to the grocery store.)
- housing events sometimes take place at the Commons
- walking distance to the outlet mall and other complexes
Commons Cons
- expensive rent (While this does sort of make sense because of the laundry in the apartment, I went from a renovated apartment in Vista to an unrenovated apartment in the Commons, and would have preferred Vista, but more on that later.)
- Some buses don't stop there
- one pool
- bedroom differences (In Vista the two bedrooms in our apartment were pretty similar. While I would say that one was slightly better, it wasn't that much better that it would be worth fighting over who gets that room. Of the two bedrooms in my apartment in the Commons, one bedroom was significantly better, and I really got screwed by not having that room. The other bedroom had a massive bathroom, bigger closet, and more options for how to move the furniture around for the way the room was set up. My bathroom and closet were smaller, and there were few options for where to put the beds/nightstands.)
As for which apartment did I like better, this might sound crazy, but I would say Vista. There's a couple of major factors that would make me choose my apartment in Vista over my apartment in the Commons. The first is the renovated/unrenovated issue. My apartment in Vista was renovated, and it was beautiful. We were on the third floor, with a really pretty arched window in the living room, new kitchen and bathrooms, and hardwood floors. My apartment in the Commons was not renovated, and included older bathrooms, a dryer that no matter what maintenance did never dried clothes in a reasonable amount of time, and dingy looking carpets everywhere except the kitchen and bathrooms. For me personally, I went from paying $98/week for my apartment in Vista, which was much nicer, to $118/week for what I considered to be a crappier apartment in the commons. Even if you factor in that I didn't need to pay extra for laundry, I wouldn't do laundry enough that I'd be paying an extra $20/week for it anyway. Another difference I had with my specific apartments was roommates, and while this has nothing to do with the apartments themselves, the two different experiences I had definitely also make me lean towards my Vista apartment for the winner here. We had no real problems with any of my roommates in Vista, everyone was clean, friendly, and we never failed inspections or really had that much drama in the grand scheme of things. My roommate experience at the Commons... well, we won't get into that, but let's just say that's also a factor for me preferring my Vista apartment.
If you're trying to decide between which of the complexes you'd like, I would honestly make price the primary thing for you to consider. I think that all of the complexes have pros and cons, which kind of evens things out, and price is really the most important difference. I've spent some time at each of the complexes, and there really isn't anything else that would make me desperately want to choose one complex over the other.
The only other really important thing to consider that I took away from my experiences at the two complexes, is how important it is to speak up and let your roommates know your preferences. When I first moved into Vista, with three other girls I met on the Facebook group, we all really worked together and discussed the apartments, and came to agreements on the order we'd rank where we wanted to live. When I applied for my extension, I knew I'd need to find other roommates because my other roommates from Vista were not extending. I decided to live with a friend, and her three existing roommates, as they were all extending and one of their roommates was leaving, so they needed one more person to fill a two bedroom four person apartment, and I needed somewhere to live. After my experience living with a completely random roommate in college, I thought this would be the smart thing to do because I at least knew the girl I'd be sharing a bedroom with. These girls already lived in Vista, so I initially thought it'd be an easy move. I'd move a couple of buildings down and that'd be it. Even though their apartment was not renovated, I liked Vista, and really just wanted the move to be as easy as possible. All of my new roommates wanted to get out of their unrenovated apartment, which I kind of understand, but at the same time, I was outnumbered in my opinion three to one, and there was really no way to discuss my opinions that wasn't super awkward. It felt weird to be the only new person in an apartment with three other girls who had already lived together for nine months, and I should have spoken up about my apartment preferences more. Because of this, I already kind of had a bad feeling about moving out of Vista. If I had my way, I would have stayed in Vista, or moved somewhere else with a cheaper rent. I didn't think the extra money for rent was worth it for staying at the Commons over somewhere else, and I turned out to be right about that, so I should have followed my gut feeling and either spoke up more to the new girls, or just gone with random roommates and chosen my own apartment preferences.
So basically my advice to new CP's choosing apartments is this:
1. Think about the pros and cons of each complex. If there is something that really stands out as important to you, make that apartment one of your top choices.
2. Really consider the price. Even though a $20/week difference doesn't sound like much now, that's about $400 more I spent at the Commons over the length of my program for an apartment I didn't feel was worth it. You don't make a ton of money as a CP, and I don't think it's a great idea to spend extra money on rent if you don't have to.
3. If you feel that you can't agree to what all your other future roommates want, back out of that roommate situation before you fill out your housing paperwork. If you're discussing housing options with future roommates, and they're either disregarding your opinion, or making you feel like it's not okay to speak up about your opinion at all, they're likely not going to make the best roommates. In this situation, it's easier to tell them you're not living with them beforehand than have to deal with roommates you're not compatible with during your program.
If you have any other questions about housing or the CP in general comment here or on my Facebook page! I'll be doing another post later in the week with questions that don't require as much explanation.
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My book, "Brittany Earns Her Ears," is available on Amazon! Click here to purchase your copy today!
Instagram: @brittanyearnsherears
Facebook.com/brittanyearnsherears
Q: What were your experiences like living in two different apartment complexes? Pros? Cons? Which did you prefer?
A: While I was in the college program, I lived in Vista Way and the Commons.
Vista Way Pros:
- close to bus stop
- walking distance to Walgreens, Chick-fil-a, Wendy's, Dollar Tree, Cici's, and a couple of other restaurants
- central bus hub(The buses tend to sit at Vista for a while, which might be annoying if you don't live in Vista, but convenient if you live there. Also, all the buses stop at Vista, and some of them only stop at certain complexes upon request.)
- laundry on the first floor of each building (I would say this is a pro, because some apartment complexes have separate laundry buildings instead of having it in the building you live in)
- two pools (Although I almost never used the pool near the bus stop, it was nice to have it as an option)
- One of the cheaper options (As the oldest complex, rent at Vista is typically cheaper than the other apartments, assuming you're not looking to have three to a bedroom anyway.)
Vista Way Cons:
- further away from the other complexes (While it is possible to walk to the other complexes from Vista it isn't really a great walk. The other three complexes are all comfortable walking distances from each other.)
- Some of the places that are in walking distance require you to cross a pretty dangerous intersection on foot. Orlando is full of terrible drivers, and regardless of the lights and crosswalks the intersection is still really dangerous. I've done it, I'm pretty sure all Vista CP's have done it, just know that you have to be really careful, and I definitely felt better about walking there in a group of people and not alone.
- Vista's reputation (This is only a con if you're concerned about what others think of where you live. There were parties in Vista, but there were also parties in all the other complexes, and you can easily avoid them if you want to.)
Commons Pros:
- laundry in the apartments (This is the biggest pro of living in the Commons. Not having to leave your apartment at all to do laundry, or pay for it with a credit card or quarters)
- The Grid (The Grid is the convenience store located at the Commons. They have everything from hot coffee, toiletries, groceries, and even prepared dinners and hot sandwiches. It's really convenient when you get the bus home and don't want to cook, or need things and don't have the time to go to the grocery store.)
- housing events sometimes take place at the Commons
- walking distance to the outlet mall and other complexes
Commons Cons
- expensive rent (While this does sort of make sense because of the laundry in the apartment, I went from a renovated apartment in Vista to an unrenovated apartment in the Commons, and would have preferred Vista, but more on that later.)
- Some buses don't stop there
- one pool
- bedroom differences (In Vista the two bedrooms in our apartment were pretty similar. While I would say that one was slightly better, it wasn't that much better that it would be worth fighting over who gets that room. Of the two bedrooms in my apartment in the Commons, one bedroom was significantly better, and I really got screwed by not having that room. The other bedroom had a massive bathroom, bigger closet, and more options for how to move the furniture around for the way the room was set up. My bathroom and closet were smaller, and there were few options for where to put the beds/nightstands.)
As for which apartment did I like better, this might sound crazy, but I would say Vista. There's a couple of major factors that would make me choose my apartment in Vista over my apartment in the Commons. The first is the renovated/unrenovated issue. My apartment in Vista was renovated, and it was beautiful. We were on the third floor, with a really pretty arched window in the living room, new kitchen and bathrooms, and hardwood floors. My apartment in the Commons was not renovated, and included older bathrooms, a dryer that no matter what maintenance did never dried clothes in a reasonable amount of time, and dingy looking carpets everywhere except the kitchen and bathrooms. For me personally, I went from paying $98/week for my apartment in Vista, which was much nicer, to $118/week for what I considered to be a crappier apartment in the commons. Even if you factor in that I didn't need to pay extra for laundry, I wouldn't do laundry enough that I'd be paying an extra $20/week for it anyway. Another difference I had with my specific apartments was roommates, and while this has nothing to do with the apartments themselves, the two different experiences I had definitely also make me lean towards my Vista apartment for the winner here. We had no real problems with any of my roommates in Vista, everyone was clean, friendly, and we never failed inspections or really had that much drama in the grand scheme of things. My roommate experience at the Commons... well, we won't get into that, but let's just say that's also a factor for me preferring my Vista apartment.
If you're trying to decide between which of the complexes you'd like, I would honestly make price the primary thing for you to consider. I think that all of the complexes have pros and cons, which kind of evens things out, and price is really the most important difference. I've spent some time at each of the complexes, and there really isn't anything else that would make me desperately want to choose one complex over the other.
The only other really important thing to consider that I took away from my experiences at the two complexes, is how important it is to speak up and let your roommates know your preferences. When I first moved into Vista, with three other girls I met on the Facebook group, we all really worked together and discussed the apartments, and came to agreements on the order we'd rank where we wanted to live. When I applied for my extension, I knew I'd need to find other roommates because my other roommates from Vista were not extending. I decided to live with a friend, and her three existing roommates, as they were all extending and one of their roommates was leaving, so they needed one more person to fill a two bedroom four person apartment, and I needed somewhere to live. After my experience living with a completely random roommate in college, I thought this would be the smart thing to do because I at least knew the girl I'd be sharing a bedroom with. These girls already lived in Vista, so I initially thought it'd be an easy move. I'd move a couple of buildings down and that'd be it. Even though their apartment was not renovated, I liked Vista, and really just wanted the move to be as easy as possible. All of my new roommates wanted to get out of their unrenovated apartment, which I kind of understand, but at the same time, I was outnumbered in my opinion three to one, and there was really no way to discuss my opinions that wasn't super awkward. It felt weird to be the only new person in an apartment with three other girls who had already lived together for nine months, and I should have spoken up about my apartment preferences more. Because of this, I already kind of had a bad feeling about moving out of Vista. If I had my way, I would have stayed in Vista, or moved somewhere else with a cheaper rent. I didn't think the extra money for rent was worth it for staying at the Commons over somewhere else, and I turned out to be right about that, so I should have followed my gut feeling and either spoke up more to the new girls, or just gone with random roommates and chosen my own apartment preferences.
So basically my advice to new CP's choosing apartments is this:
1. Think about the pros and cons of each complex. If there is something that really stands out as important to you, make that apartment one of your top choices.
2. Really consider the price. Even though a $20/week difference doesn't sound like much now, that's about $400 more I spent at the Commons over the length of my program for an apartment I didn't feel was worth it. You don't make a ton of money as a CP, and I don't think it's a great idea to spend extra money on rent if you don't have to.
3. If you feel that you can't agree to what all your other future roommates want, back out of that roommate situation before you fill out your housing paperwork. If you're discussing housing options with future roommates, and they're either disregarding your opinion, or making you feel like it's not okay to speak up about your opinion at all, they're likely not going to make the best roommates. In this situation, it's easier to tell them you're not living with them beforehand than have to deal with roommates you're not compatible with during your program.
If you have any other questions about housing or the CP in general comment here or on my Facebook page! I'll be doing another post later in the week with questions that don't require as much explanation.
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My book, "Brittany Earns Her Ears," is available on Amazon! Click here to purchase your copy today!
Instagram: @brittanyearnsherears
Facebook.com/brittanyearnsherears
Monday, July 20, 2015
Post-DCP Life
This is the post that every DCP blogger has to do at some point, and while I've been putting it off, I think it's finally time to get this over with. Life after the college program is... difficult? I think that's a good way to describe it.
The first difficult part of leaving the DCP is adjusting to life at home. Even though I've moved back home from college a bunch of times, moving home after the DCP is so much worse. If you're moving back in with your parents, you're going to miss the independence of living states way in Florida. And if you're moving back in with different roommates, you're always going to find yourself comparing them, and that living situation to your roommates in Florida.
-some of my roommates from the Fall 2014 DCP and I, posing in front of a Transtar bus, of course-
You're also going to miss having something to do every day of the week. I recently accepted a full-time position at the Harvard Art Museums, and my days off are Monday and Tuesday. (Coincidentally, my days off during the Spring 2015 DCP were also Monday and Tuesday.) Living in Orlando, it doesn't matter what your days off are. There's always other CPs with the same days off as you, and there's always something fun to do in the Orlando area. Here in Boston, the same cannot be said. The highlight of my "weekend" is going to bar trivia on Tuesday nights, and aside from that it doesn't really feel like there's as much to do as there was during any "weekend" day in Orlando. Even though my daily hours (9-5) are great, it's not the same getting off work and not being able to spend a couple of hours in Epcot just because.
-hanging out with Donald on a day off, because we could-
You're also going to miss your friends. Sure you can keep in touch, but you can't just pop into their apartments anymore, or just hang out and watch the fireworks at night.
Lastly, you're going to get really emotional around all things Disney. Try walking into a Disney Store at your local mall after working in Merchandise and you'll know what I mean. Or when you see a Disney commercial, or those specials on the Travel Channel, you'll just be aching to go back. And you'll see hidden Mickey's in places where there shouldn't be hidden Mickey's. Like this painting from the art museum I'm working at for instance:
That's definitely a hidden Mickey. I don't care how old this painting is, there's a blatant hidden Mickey right there.
You also get jealous. I'm not going to lie, jealousy after the DCP is a real thing, especially if you still have a lot of friend there, or follow a lot of current CPs on social media. If you're leaving soon, or have recently come home, try not to let the jealousy get to you, just be excited about planning your next vacation there, and be happy for your friends who are still on the program.
In true "post-DCP depression" spirit, I've made a Facebook page devoted to my blog and books. It's facebook.com/brittanyearnsherears if you'd like to follow it. The page will be used to post updates for this blog, Disney-related things from my Instagram, and maybe even more contests to win copies of my book.
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"Brittany Earns Her Ears" is available on Amazon in eBook and paperback! Click here to get your copy today, and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoy it!
The first difficult part of leaving the DCP is adjusting to life at home. Even though I've moved back home from college a bunch of times, moving home after the DCP is so much worse. If you're moving back in with your parents, you're going to miss the independence of living states way in Florida. And if you're moving back in with different roommates, you're always going to find yourself comparing them, and that living situation to your roommates in Florida.
You're also going to miss having something to do every day of the week. I recently accepted a full-time position at the Harvard Art Museums, and my days off are Monday and Tuesday. (Coincidentally, my days off during the Spring 2015 DCP were also Monday and Tuesday.) Living in Orlando, it doesn't matter what your days off are. There's always other CPs with the same days off as you, and there's always something fun to do in the Orlando area. Here in Boston, the same cannot be said. The highlight of my "weekend" is going to bar trivia on Tuesday nights, and aside from that it doesn't really feel like there's as much to do as there was during any "weekend" day in Orlando. Even though my daily hours (9-5) are great, it's not the same getting off work and not being able to spend a couple of hours in Epcot just because.
You're also going to miss your friends. Sure you can keep in touch, but you can't just pop into their apartments anymore, or just hang out and watch the fireworks at night.
Lastly, you're going to get really emotional around all things Disney. Try walking into a Disney Store at your local mall after working in Merchandise and you'll know what I mean. Or when you see a Disney commercial, or those specials on the Travel Channel, you'll just be aching to go back. And you'll see hidden Mickey's in places where there shouldn't be hidden Mickey's. Like this painting from the art museum I'm working at for instance:
That's definitely a hidden Mickey. I don't care how old this painting is, there's a blatant hidden Mickey right there.
You also get jealous. I'm not going to lie, jealousy after the DCP is a real thing, especially if you still have a lot of friend there, or follow a lot of current CPs on social media. If you're leaving soon, or have recently come home, try not to let the jealousy get to you, just be excited about planning your next vacation there, and be happy for your friends who are still on the program.
In true "post-DCP depression" spirit, I've made a Facebook page devoted to my blog and books. It's facebook.com/brittanyearnsherears if you'd like to follow it. The page will be used to post updates for this blog, Disney-related things from my Instagram, and maybe even more contests to win copies of my book.
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"Brittany Earns Her Ears" is available on Amazon in eBook and paperback! Click here to get your copy today, and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoy it!
Thursday, July 2, 2015
How Much Does Being a CP Cost?
I know one thing that a lot of future CPs wonder about is how much money they should bring with them for their program. Before I did the DCP, and I saw this question regularly being brought up in the Facebook groups I thought this was kind of odd. "How much money are you planning on bringing?" someone would ask me. "Err... whatever I have in my checking and savings accounts?" But in all seriousness, I'll break down how much money I came with and how much I spent in this post to give some guidance to future CPs.
First of all, I almost never have cash on me, and I have three bank accounts-- two checking accounts and a savings account. My first checking account is the one I actually use. My pay from work gets direct deposited into this account, and only from there would I decide if any of it will be transferred to the other checking account or my savings account. My second checking account basically functions as a savings account, although I do dip into it occasionally for money, whereas I never do that with my actual savings account. I'm just explaining how my accounts are set up so that you understand that I always had some form of financial backup during my CP. I also have three credit cards for emergencies too. Because of this, the question of "how much money did you bring?" is kind of a weird one for me, but I'll do my best to answer it and let you know how well it worked.
When I left for Florida I had $500 in my checking account (the one I actually use, for the sake of confusion we'll refer to this as my checking account, the other one as checking/savings account, and my savings account as well, savings account.) In addition, I had $150 in cash. I feel like this is important to note because I almost never have cash. My paychecks are direct deposited, and unless I make a specific point to take cash out of an ATM, I generally don't have cash. At the airport, I had to pay an extra $50 for a second checked bag. I used the cash. So now I'm down to $100 in cash, $500 in my checking account, and backup money in my checking/savings account and savings account.
Green tea frappacino from Starbucks at the airport = $4.76, new checking account balance = $495.24 and $100 cash.
Lunch at ESPN Zone at the Boardwalk with Holly the day she picked me up from the airport = $34.84. New checking account balance = $460.40, still $100 in cash.
Numerous water bottles and room service with Holly that night brought me down to $430.40 in my checking account and $100 cash.
Breakfast at McDonalds the next morning-- $424.40 in my checking account, and $100 in cash.
Total first shopping trip for the apartment: $300. $124 in my checking account, $100 in cash.
So before my program actually started, just going from the airport in Boston to the day we moved into our apartment, my checking account was already down to $330. I used the $100 in cash to do the next weeks grocery shopping and toiletry needs, along with anything else I forgot for the apartment. The next week, I spent the remaining $124 in my checking account on shopping, eating out, and doing things around Orlando and Downtown Disney before I was able to get into the park. I wouldn't receive my first paycheck until the week after that.
The good news is that your first two paychecks of the college program do not have your rent taken out (because you've already paid it when you paid the fees that came with your acceptance letter.) My first paycheck, which included Traditions and my first few days training was $301-- more than enough money for one person living on their own in Florida with an apartment shared with three other girls. My next check was also up there, around $280. Within my first two weeks of getting paid (which remember is actually more like four weeks after I arrived) I more than made back the money I came down with. Did I dip into my checking/savings account during those first two weeks? Of course. But there's a couple of variables to decide whether or not you'll have to do the same.
I flew to Orlando, which means I did not bring things like toiletries and bedding. If I drove, I could have easily thrown my hardly used bottle of shampoo and my comforter from college into the car. But because I flew, these were all items I needed to purchase when I arrived, and this added to my expensive first trip to Walmart the day we moved in. I also chose to go out and do things before having gotten paid. I did not need to go out to eat three times that week. I did not need to order drinks two thirds of the times I went out that week. I chose to because I wanted to have a good time, and knew I had extra money in my checking/savings account if I needed it. If you're on a budget, you can choose not to do those things.
If I were to do the DCP again, and not have the backups of my checking/savings and savings accounts, I would say you want to go down with at least $1000. This would allow you to have fun with your friends and still have things to eat during the first couple of weeks. As for the money you make during the program. My paychecks averaged $150/week after rent was taken out. While this might sound terrible, there's a couple of things to remember. My rent was $98/week, but it included all extra bills/utilities, wireless internet, and bus transportation. The only other thing you need to spend money on weekly is food. Grocery shopping for one person for a week does not cost $150. If it does, you're doing it wrong. I would generally spend $50/week on groceries and/or toiletries. This means that after rent and groceries/toiletries I would have $100 left. I'd generally put $50 into my checking/savings account, and keep the other $50 for random spending. (As a side note, I did have other bills during my program, and the money I paid those with came from my checking/savings account. On the plus side however, that money was always less than the amount I transferred into that account each month, so I did still save some money.)
Basically if you have no bills (or if you have some other way of paying your bills) you should be able to save an average of $50/week. That's not a lot, but it's also not bad considering an internship doesn't need to pay you at all. Of course there were some weeks where I'd spend more than my usual $50, but there were some weeks where I'd spend less. So I usually had a couple of hundred dollars in my checking account or in cash throughout the entire program.
For future CPs, I would suggest coming up with some method of how you're going to save money during the program. I'm not saying save money so you'll come home with a huge savings account, but just save some money so you'll have it when you want it to do something fun. You're most likely only going to live at Disney World once, so you should definitely make the most of it, and with some basic finance skills it isn't hard to have the money to do the things you want while you're there.
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First of all, I almost never have cash on me, and I have three bank accounts-- two checking accounts and a savings account. My first checking account is the one I actually use. My pay from work gets direct deposited into this account, and only from there would I decide if any of it will be transferred to the other checking account or my savings account. My second checking account basically functions as a savings account, although I do dip into it occasionally for money, whereas I never do that with my actual savings account. I'm just explaining how my accounts are set up so that you understand that I always had some form of financial backup during my CP. I also have three credit cards for emergencies too. Because of this, the question of "how much money did you bring?" is kind of a weird one for me, but I'll do my best to answer it and let you know how well it worked.
When I left for Florida I had $500 in my checking account (the one I actually use, for the sake of confusion we'll refer to this as my checking account, the other one as checking/savings account, and my savings account as well, savings account.) In addition, I had $150 in cash. I feel like this is important to note because I almost never have cash. My paychecks are direct deposited, and unless I make a specific point to take cash out of an ATM, I generally don't have cash. At the airport, I had to pay an extra $50 for a second checked bag. I used the cash. So now I'm down to $100 in cash, $500 in my checking account, and backup money in my checking/savings account and savings account.
Green tea frappacino from Starbucks at the airport = $4.76, new checking account balance = $495.24 and $100 cash.
Lunch at ESPN Zone at the Boardwalk with Holly the day she picked me up from the airport = $34.84. New checking account balance = $460.40, still $100 in cash.
Numerous water bottles and room service with Holly that night brought me down to $430.40 in my checking account and $100 cash.
Breakfast at McDonalds the next morning-- $424.40 in my checking account, and $100 in cash.
Total first shopping trip for the apartment: $300. $124 in my checking account, $100 in cash.
So before my program actually started, just going from the airport in Boston to the day we moved into our apartment, my checking account was already down to $330. I used the $100 in cash to do the next weeks grocery shopping and toiletry needs, along with anything else I forgot for the apartment. The next week, I spent the remaining $124 in my checking account on shopping, eating out, and doing things around Orlando and Downtown Disney before I was able to get into the park. I wouldn't receive my first paycheck until the week after that.
The good news is that your first two paychecks of the college program do not have your rent taken out (because you've already paid it when you paid the fees that came with your acceptance letter.) My first paycheck, which included Traditions and my first few days training was $301-- more than enough money for one person living on their own in Florida with an apartment shared with three other girls. My next check was also up there, around $280. Within my first two weeks of getting paid (which remember is actually more like four weeks after I arrived) I more than made back the money I came down with. Did I dip into my checking/savings account during those first two weeks? Of course. But there's a couple of variables to decide whether or not you'll have to do the same.
I flew to Orlando, which means I did not bring things like toiletries and bedding. If I drove, I could have easily thrown my hardly used bottle of shampoo and my comforter from college into the car. But because I flew, these were all items I needed to purchase when I arrived, and this added to my expensive first trip to Walmart the day we moved in. I also chose to go out and do things before having gotten paid. I did not need to go out to eat three times that week. I did not need to order drinks two thirds of the times I went out that week. I chose to because I wanted to have a good time, and knew I had extra money in my checking/savings account if I needed it. If you're on a budget, you can choose not to do those things.
If I were to do the DCP again, and not have the backups of my checking/savings and savings accounts, I would say you want to go down with at least $1000. This would allow you to have fun with your friends and still have things to eat during the first couple of weeks. As for the money you make during the program. My paychecks averaged $150/week after rent was taken out. While this might sound terrible, there's a couple of things to remember. My rent was $98/week, but it included all extra bills/utilities, wireless internet, and bus transportation. The only other thing you need to spend money on weekly is food. Grocery shopping for one person for a week does not cost $150. If it does, you're doing it wrong. I would generally spend $50/week on groceries and/or toiletries. This means that after rent and groceries/toiletries I would have $100 left. I'd generally put $50 into my checking/savings account, and keep the other $50 for random spending. (As a side note, I did have other bills during my program, and the money I paid those with came from my checking/savings account. On the plus side however, that money was always less than the amount I transferred into that account each month, so I did still save some money.)
Basically if you have no bills (or if you have some other way of paying your bills) you should be able to save an average of $50/week. That's not a lot, but it's also not bad considering an internship doesn't need to pay you at all. Of course there were some weeks where I'd spend more than my usual $50, but there were some weeks where I'd spend less. So I usually had a couple of hundred dollars in my checking account or in cash throughout the entire program.
For future CPs, I would suggest coming up with some method of how you're going to save money during the program. I'm not saying save money so you'll come home with a huge savings account, but just save some money so you'll have it when you want it to do something fun. You're most likely only going to live at Disney World once, so you should definitely make the most of it, and with some basic finance skills it isn't hard to have the money to do the things you want while you're there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My book is on Amazon! Click here to order your copy today!
And don't forget to enter my contest on Instagram to win a free copy, just repost the photo below on your page and use the following tags:
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