Need $5 For College – A Panhandler’s Tale

Alright, so I’ve gotten accepted into the Spring 2010 CareerStart Program at Walt Disney World. It starts in February. I still had to pay my $100 fee before the two week deadline of October 14th, 2009. Well two days before then I still hadn’t paid it yet. I had the $100 in cash, but I needed to use a debit or credit card to pay the fee over the internet. Originally I had planned to give the cash to a friend and have them use their card. This plan fell through. So there I was, unsure of what the next 48 hours would bring. Could I get some random person to spend $100 from their credit card on some site that has nothing to do with them just so I could get a job in Feb? That doesn’t really sound like the best way to go about getting help. Not to mention how I’d much rather be the helper than the helpee. Earlier I was told that those gift debit cards aren’t accepted on the site as payment. Well I called CareerStart Recruiting and they told me that was incorrect. So now I just had to get one of those cards. As I said, I had the $100 needed for the program in cash, however all those cards have activation fees. Between my father and myself, I had $2.89 in change. Not enough for the $5.95 activation fee. So again I was wondering how I would come up with a couple of extra bucks needed for the card, which I would pay the program assessment fee, which would help my future.

I knew I could have gotten what I needed from some friend who where hanging out at Disney. But being the kind of person I am, I’d much rather ask a little from multiple strangers than a lot from a friend. So I got out some poster board my dad had lying around from a previous project of his, as well as a Sharpie. In big bold letters I wrote: “NEED $5 FOR COLLEGE” and packed it into my guitar case underneath my acoustic guitar. Then I hopped on the bus and got off a few stops later. Closer to more of the tourist businesses. I propped open my case, threw that $2.89 in change I had in it and set up the sign. I was at a bus stop right next to the highway, so when there was traffic going by, you couldn’t really hear anything. Well after about 20 to 25 minutes of playing some Green Day songs, as well as some random jamming, a car drives by. After the car stops, it backs up, and the driver rolls down the window and is holding a $5 bill. I got up and walked over to receive his generous donation. I thanked him over and over again before he drove away. Then I packed up my gear and headed to Walgreens to buy that $100 Visa Gift Card.

Upon arriving home, I was feeling rather successful and proud of what I had just accomplished on my own. Since it was still the unusually hot second week of October, I decided to cool off inside before going out to get online. An ice cold Lipton Green Tea later I was logging into the CareerStart site. Going over all my information, making sure it’s all correct, I finally get to the payment page. I had just registered the gift card online prior to this as well. I fill in the card info and click “Submit”. The page refreshes with “DECLINED” in big red letters. I try again… DECLINED. I try again and again, about 5 or 6 times, all of which have the same outcome. Now I’m worried again. I write the CareerStart recruiting team an email explaining my dilemma. Well it seems that time was all I needed to wait for because as soon as I sent the email, I tried using the card again and this time it worked. I felt as instantly relieved as a parent does when their kid takes a fall then get’s up laughing and unharmed. So now I send another email to CareerStart asking them kindly disregard the last one.  And now here I am. Officially in the program. Now all I do is wait the 111 days until my check in date of February 8th, 2010. I also should start shopping for the stuff I’m going to need to take with me when I move in. Anyway, I felt this was an exciting page in the story of my life so I wanted to post it here.

And now begins the post-wait speedrun

I got accepted! Yes, that’s right, I, Jake Thompson, am finally going to be an official cast member at Walt Disney World here in Central Florida! I checked the mail on October 1st, WDW’s b-day, and was pleased to find what I had truly been waiting for. My acceptance letter/folder/packet into the Spring 2010 WDW CareerStart Program! The program starts in February, and I will be a custodial cast member. My pay rate will be $7.22 an hour, though I’ve heard they give the people on the program lots of overtime, which is paid time and a half. I still don’t know where exactly I’ll be working or my check-in date and time. I’ll find that out later. First I need to accept my invitation and send them the one time $100 fee. I’m so happy! More blogs, and possibly video blogs, on the subject soon to come!

Will a mouse start it all for me too? Let’s hope so!

Disney is and has always been one of the most important things in my life. I’ve wanted to work there for a long time, but have had no luck getting a job so far. However, the Disney CareerStart Program seems like the perfect opportunity for me. The program is very similar to the Disney College Program. Those who are accepted into the program pays a fee ($100 for CS, not sure if it’s the same for CP), and moves into a fully furnished apartment. The apartments even include pots and pans! Rent for the apartments varies, depending on the size of the apartment, from about $82 – $108 per week. That is taken out of your paycheck each week so you never have to worry about paying rent on time. Oh yeah, you get a paycheck because you are working at Walt Disney World! For six months you live, work, and play at ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ with fellow young people who all share the same passion for Disney as you.

The requirements for getting into the program are that you have to be at least 18 years old at the start of the program. Which means you can be 17 and apply, and get accepted only if you are 18 by the time you arrive for the program. Also, you have to have graduated high school or gotten your GED within the last 48 months. Other than that, it’s just luck and hope. On the CareerStart site, there is an “E-Presentation” that talks about all the specific details. It also shows video clips about different aspects of the program, such as working and living. After watching the presentation, you can download the 4 page application in PDF form. Print it out, fill it out, fax it in and mail it off. Then once Disney gets both the fax and the actual application, they will e-mail you to schedule an online interview. If that goes well, they may want to schedule another interview over the phone. Once that’s over you wait…. and wait… and wait some more. Probably the most nerve racking part of the whole process.

After a few weeks of religiously checking the mail, you should receive an acceptance letter and package if you get accepted. If you’re not accepted into the program, you will get a “We regret to inform you…” letter. Once you’re accept, however, it’s still not over. Now you have to pay the $100 fee, get all the stuff you’ll need to bring with you, and either fly or drive down to arrive by the specific date and time mentioned in the acceptance letter. Since you won’t get your first pay check until a week and a half after you start working, it’s a good idea to bring some extra cash for that time. After that, prepare to spend the next 6 months making all kinds of memories at Disney that you never thought could ever be made. Those who really love the program, may be able to extend into the next season’s program for another 5 or 6 months.

I know all this from all the research I’ve done in the last 3 days. As of right now, I have my application in hand ready to fax and send off. So I better get right on that so I can start the first anxiety-filled wait for a reply period. Joy! I really do hope I am accepted because I feel that this is the perfect thing for me right now. It’s just what I needed and wanted. How often does that happen!? To anyone reading this who is also hoping to be accepted into the Spring 2010 Program, best of luck! I hope we all get in and can work, play, and live together!