5 Joys of CP Housing

As CP's for Walt Disney World, we get the oh so sought after luxury of living in the CP housing complexes. Now let me be the first to tell you, when you look past a couple minor inconveniences, which we will talk about in this article, these apartments are totally top notch….that is, if you live in a third world country and are use to rat infested, clay roofed homes. So, all-in-all, it's what one would call  an interesting experience.
Now, back to those inconveniences…let's chat about those.

1. People lose their ability to follow driving instructions once they enter Little Lake Bryan. I'm sure you're all aware of the infamous 4-way stop that is in-between The Commons, Chatham Square, and Patterson Court. This 4-way stop is the perfect example of the brain deterioration that takes place once you move into the complexes. BUT! DO NOT FEAR!! I'm here to save the day. For your convenience, I have an educational video below to remind you just how 4-way stops work! I know, I know…no need for the praise. I'm just here to help.

2. "Maintenance" doesn't care that your toilet is overflowing or your ceiling is caving in. Someone just called maintenance before you and said that one of their screws is coming lose on their bedroom doorknob. That is obviously way more important than your situation. Don't expect them to come fix your problem for at least 48 hours. 

3. People obviously want to get hit. Really though…you folks really need to pay more attention when you're walking. There are sidewalks in the complexes for a reason. I can't tell you how many times I have almost hit someone with my car because they decided to just start walking in the street right when I'm passing them…Be smart…however, the contrary brings me to….

4. SLOW DOWN!!! You are not Ricky Bobby at the Talladega Speedway!! The speed limit for the complexes is 15 mph…There are constantly people walking around and other cars driving. The parking lots and driveways are not spacious and there isn't room for you to cut corners and take up the whole road! 

5. We pay HOW MUCH?! Okay..so, if you live in Chatham, there is a big likelihood that you live in a 2 bedroom apartment with 6 people (triple occupancy). In that case, you pay $78 a week…That's approximately $312 a month. Now calculate that x6….That's almost $1,900 a month per apartment that these people make off of us!! LOOK AT WHAT WE LIVE IN!!! WE SHOULD LIVE IN A LUXURIOUS CONDO FOR THAT! 

These are just a few of the many frustrations that we as CP's deal with because of our living situations. But, always remember…it's for the "experience", right? 

Please leave comments below if you are a CP. I'd love to hear your frustrations and opinions about CP housing!! (: 

Dear WDW Guests: 8 ways to be Magical

People save for years and travel thousands of miles just to experience the magic that one place can bring; Magic that is made and created daily based on the cast members of Walt Disney World. Now, sometimes, these cast members work 60 hours a week, some of those shifts being until 3 am, to help create that magic. These cast members put aside their daily lives and their own personal issues to make YOU, our guests, smile. So, with that being said, this blog is to inform YOU, as our guest, some simple things to understand that would make our lives and our daily jobs magical, too! 

1. YES. That poncho is $9 ma'am…yes, we know that's a ridiculous price for a piece of plastic. Yes, that Mickey Mouse rice krispy is $17. Yes, that princess dress is $70…we know you can get the same one at Walmart for half the price…but the thing is, you're at Walt Disney World. People from all over the world come here and you know that when you enter the gates, you pay "Disney price". If it's that big of a deal, wait until you leave the park to purchase the items. 

2. NO. You cannot get a refund for your tickets if it rains or storms. This is Florida…let me be the first to educate you on the weather here: The humidity is sometimes unbearable. It storms and/or rains daily. We are surrounded by the ocean here in Florida, and I'm not sure if you were taught about how oceanside states often receive rain because of that, but its true! We're sorry for the inconvenience; we are magical but we are not God. 

3. YES. Sometimes you will see us do something to create a little extra magic for a guest like giving them a free cupcake or take them to meet someone special. NO, that does not mean that this will happen to you as well. This act is called a magical moment. These moments are often a stem of a conversation with the guest in which a magical moment takes place. If a guest with a birthday or maybe a couple has just been married get a free chocolate covered pineapple from the Main Street Confectionary in Magic Kingdom, that doesn't mean that you should cause a scene by asking where your free food is. Don't ruin someone else's magic. 

4. PLEASE STOP SHOVING MONEY IN OUR FACE. We know that you are eager to open that toy that your daughter has been begging for. We know that you just want that hat because the sun is beating down on your head. However, the guest that I am currently helping has needs as well. They waited in a line just like you're having to do. Please don't cut in front of them and start shoving money in our faces. That's not magical for anyone. 

5. STOP. When I tell you that I don't understand your language, yelling at me (in your language) doesn't make me understand any better. I promise I will find a cast member that can better assist you and can understand what you want. There is no need to get closer to my face and invade my personal space while yelling at me in a language that I have made clear that I don't understand. 

6. JUST SAY THANK YOU. We as cast members try our absolute best to create magic for our guests. We understand that sometimes our guests get overwhelmed and cannot handle the high stress that is created by the constant crowds and the unbearably hot weather and sometimes you just want to get out of it! We know. We will try our absolute best all the time to make your vacation as magical as possible. There are times that it takes us a little bit longer to achieve that magic, but please be patient with us. We are trying our best. When we complete your request, please say thank you. It is likely that we have gone through hell and back trying to make you happy which is why it has taken us so long. We don't want to just complete the task; we want to make the experience one you'll never forget, in a good way of course. 

7. THE 3:00 PARADE IS AT 3:00. Believe it or not, I am asked on a daily basis "Excuse me ma'am, what time is the 3:00 parade?" I kid you not. The parades start at their given times unless otherwise noted. The parades cannot be in every area of the park at one time, so  where you are at the time of the parade will determine what time you actually see the parade. You may not see it until 3:15, but I promise you that the parade, did in fact, begin at 3:00. 

8. THERE IS ONE MICKEY MOUSE. Yes, you did see Mickey at the Magic Kingdom today. Yes, you now see him at Hollywood Studios. He created a world of magic. Are you really going to question us fifteen times about how he got from one place to the next? HE'S MAGIC. 

These are just a few examples of how you can help us, as cast members, keep the magic alive that Walt Disney lived to create. We cherish our guests and the magic that they help us create. Without you, our jobs would be impossible. We are so thankful that we are able to create magic every single day and make the lives of others magical as well. As Walt once said, "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality."