Questions concerning a few roles and the casting process.

[Zazu]

I want to go full time after my CP is over in August.... So Zazu, I assume that I need to go through the casting process that you just mentioned, correct? Or is it different for CPs who are transferring to full time positions?

There's an entirely different process for CPs. For one thing, if you've made it to the end of even one season of CP, we know what you're worth, which means we'll be *extra* interested in getting you cast. Most CPers get asked to schedule a meeting with Casting, often at Vista Lay... er Way!

I'm also gonna be applying for better paying full time jobs via the Disney Careers website, so I know I'll have a job either way.

Those are a lot tougher to break into. Plan on taking the hourly position, and don't be disappointed if they give you a pass on a better spot first time around. If you come back six months later (with a clean record card), you'll be that much ahead of all the other applicants. Persistence pays!

[Shorty82]

How tall are you? You would be surprised how tall some of the people are.

As for the jobs you mentioned:

I was a performer and I always thought it would be fun to do the attendant's job. I have a friend who was an attendant and absolutely loved it! You do have a lot of guest contact and sometimes the performers can be a little high and mighty (although most are very nice.) You have to be prepared for guests who will become mad at you when Mickey goes to get a slice of cheesecake, even though he always comes right back! You also have to deal with working with a fuzzy critter that cannot speak. Being able to understand charades is a must! Many times your character will need to communicate something important to you, and there is nothing more frustrating than having an attendant who cannot understand animation. on the flip side of that, we deal with a lot of Wish kids, many of them want to meet a specific character, and you get to be the one to talk to them and make that wish come true. You can easily make a guest's day just by the way you interact with them in the line, and you'll never be short of great stories to tell!

I'm ~6'5" tall. I don't know if I would enjoy being a character's best friend (as my SIL calls them) as much as being their attendant anyway, though I am curious if there are any characters I could be.

I could learn charades, wouldn't be that hard.

One of the reasons I think I would enjoy being an attendant are the opportunities to make magic. I'm sure if I asked my brother he'd have some stories. He did create a good bit of magic for our 9 year old cousin back in July. with meeting some characters.

I believe that is Camden World Gateway. I live there and I love it. It is kinda pricey but TOTALLY worth it in commute time. Especially after long days.
If you are wanting to go full-time after CP it is simply a matter of applying for a transfer to full-time. You can also at that time apply for a transfer of role. This will prevent you from having to term your employment, reapply, have an interview, go to traditions again. I know quite a few CP's who have moved to Seasonal/Full-time following their programs.

What do you call pricey? Not so much you can't afford it on CM pay I assume? You can PM me if you don't want to post your rent publicly, which I'd understand. The Camden website requires Flash for a lot of things and this POS computer I have to use until my good one is back from the shop won't run Flash really well I don't think. It barely has enough RAM or processor speed to do much of anything on it.

[Randy B]

I'm ~6'5" tall. I don't know if I would enjoy being a character's best friend (as my SIL calls them) as much as being their attendant anyway, though I am curious if there are any characters I could be.

I could learn charades, wouldn't be that hard.

This brings up something I have wondered about. I have often wondered why more characters and their handlers don't learn ASL? It would make communication much better. Even if only the more common important signs were learned. But if a character was fluent this could even be a major magic moment for the youngsters (and not so youngsters) with hearing diffculties.

Just something that I have wondered about.

Randy

[Shorty82]

This brings up something I have wondered about. I have often wondered why more characters and their handlers don't learn ASL? It would make communication much better. Even if only the more common important signs were learned. But if a character was fluent this could even be a major magic moment for the youngsters (and not so youngsters) with hearing diffculties.

Just something that I have wondered about.

Randy

A number of the characters that can't talk don't have five fingers so couldn't sign properly.

[Randy B]

A number of the characters that can't talk don't have five fingers so couldn't sign properly.

Ok that makes sense. But it might give a character a stepping-off-place to designing some signals for common things. I do know that many ASL signs include the whole hand and so many things could be communicated with or without the fifth finger. I figure that if I was a character I would at least agree with the handlers on a series of signs for common situations.

JMHO

Randy

[Shorty82]

Amazing how much flight costs can vary day to day and how adding a day can save a good bit.

I figure since I'll have only a few days down in Orlando when I go it would be better to fly. I'm thinking of being down there from about the 16th through 18th of this month, flying down the 15th and back the 19th. If I pick an early flight the 15th and a late one on the 19th I'll have most of those days there too. Due to President's Day that's a 3-day weekend for my brother.

Yesterday I look up round-trip flights for those dates on Priceline and got $345.00. I check for the 14th through 19th and got $280.00. Just now I checked the 14th through 19th again and got $259.00. EDIT: NM, looked at the wrong price, still $280.00.

I figured there might be some difference in price between yesterday and today but not $21.00 difference.

I'm not totally set on those dates, I need to talk to my brother and see what he thinks. I also need to wrangle up the money for the flight. I was kinda thinking of flying in late on the 15th as he works that day but if his wife is available to pick me up I might fly in earlier. I also may decide to try to work some that morning then fly in that afternoon. I'm trying to work around their schedules, maximize my time down there but at the same time minimize my time off from work.

How crowded are the parks on President's Day weekend on average? The next best time for my brother I can figure out from looking at his school calendar is Spring Break but I know that the parks are always more crowded then.

The good thing is the flight is only 1:30 long and I will minimize my luggage to hopefully make getting through security a bit easier. It is about an 8 hour drive and by the time I get there I'd be worn out.

[CMGUY89]

What do you call pricey? Not so much you can't afford it on CM pay I assume? You can PM me if you don't want to post your rent publicly, which I'd understand. The Camden website requires Flash for a lot of things and this POS computer I have to use until my good one is back from the shop won't run Flash really well I don't think. It barely has enough RAM or processor speed to do much of anything on it.

Well I live in about a $900 a month 1 bedroom for four months a year. Two other people live there year-round and they are both cm's. I believe they have studios and smaller one-bedrooms for less. Tell them you are a cm and I believe they waive the application fee as well as the first month's rent deposit. But it's been almost a year so it might have changed. The place has a pool, gym, business center, valet garbage (they pick it up from your door), and you literally drive down the street and you are at downtown Disney. It's gated and I always feel safe there. Let me know if you have any more questions. ;)

As for characters using ASL, I am in an ASL class right now and I think it is a great skill. However, knowing what I know now you need all 5 fingers to sign. One finger can make the difference between "Nice to meet you" and "Nice to F*** You". So you have to be careful. I do encourage anyone to learn ASL, it is really a lot of fun!

[Randy B]

As for characters using ASL, I am in an ASL class right now and I think it is a great skill. However, knowing what I know now you need all 5 fingers to sign. One finger can make the difference between "Nice to meet you" and "Nice to F*** You". So you have to be careful. I do encourage anyone to learn ASL, it is really a lot of fun!

Is that the same finger that changes a friendly wave to a provocation for a beat down? :D:

Randy

[Shorty82]

Well I live in about a $900 a month 1 bedroom for four months a year. Two other people live there year-round and they are both cm's. I believe they have studios and smaller one-bedrooms for less. Tell them you are a cm and I believe they waive the application fee as well as the first month's rent deposit. But it's been almost a year so it might have changed. The place has a pool, gym, business center, valet garbage (they pick it up from your door), and you literally drive down the street and you are at downtown Disney. It's gated and I always feel safe there. Let me know if you have any more questions. ;)

As for characters using ASL, I am in an ASL class right now and I think it is a great skill. However, knowing what I know now you need all 5 fingers to sign. One finger can make the difference between "Nice to meet you" and "Nice to F*** You". So you have to be careful. I do encourage anyone to learn ASL, it is really a lot of fun!

$900.00 a month?! How can you afford that on a CM's pay and still afford groceries and all? I couldn't afford that on what I get paid now and CMs get paid less usually I understand. What about utilities? Water, power, Internet, and the like?

Only 4 months a year? What about the other 8 months? Do you get a new apartment every year or keep paying on the one you have?

Anybody know of any other apartments in the area that might cost less?

[CMGUY89]

Is that the same finger that changes a friendly wave to a provocation for a beat down? :D:

Randy

I'm not quite sure on that, I've only been in it for two weeks.