So it's about time I gave you guys an update!
On the 9th of April, two weeks to the day since we got our email from Disney International Programs, at 10:30pm we got an email inviting us to a Zoom presentation with the International Recruiter. The presentation was Tuesday the 12th of April and there was two different times you could attend, either 2pm or 7pm UK time. We only needed to attend one of these and it was roughly 40 minutes long including a Q&A at the end. The way this was setup was fantastic because if this was like any regular year we would have to go all the way down to London to watch the presentation and interview, but doing it over Zoom saves so much money especially for folk like me who live so far away.
The presentation was informing us of changes that have been made to the program. A big one being housing. The four Disney housing complexes no longer exist and they have now opened Flamingo Crossings. You can read all about Flamingo Crossings at the end of this page.
The other major update was the program itself. Whereas there used to be two different positions, either Food & Beverage or Merchandise. If you were in Food & Beverage you started off in podium which is an un-tipped role and you would eventually work your way up to become a server where you make tips. This however is no longer the case, there are now three positions consisting of Merchandise, Quick-Service & Server. The server positions are hand picked by the management based on previous experience. So for those that never made it into service before their program was cancelled, like me, we had no shot at getting into service. There was also very little people being selected for a server role because of all the full timers currently serving in the Rose & Crown. This new change has made a lot of people doubt about going back to do the program. Without the chance of earning tips and the cost of housing going up by over $50 it means the cost of living is outweighing the rate of pay. This means that things like travelling, buying merchandise, going out for dinner, drinks, activities will end up becoming a rare occurrence.
I attended the 2pm presentation and between the two Zoom calls there was about 100 of us whose programs were either cut short or cancelled. We were told that we would be invited to a Zoom Interview after the presentations, which we got the email for at 3am. We also got an email inviting us to complete our role checklist preference where you could put different roles from highest priority to lowest priority. The Interviews we had to select from a 1 hour time slot and were taking place the next day. So we had the presentation on the Tuesday and the Interviews on the Thursday. We had to make ourselves available for the a full hour, to wait in a virtual waiting room until we were invited into the call with a recruiter, the interview only lasted 10 minutes. It was barely an interview to be honest all they asked was our availability date and our role preference. I did however ask a question regarding my passport. Previously on the program we only needed 15 months on our passport, 12 for the program and an extra 3 months either for travelling or a possible extension. However you now need 18 months on your passport and mine ran out in January 2024 which is exactly 18 months from August 2022 which is when the first dates were available. I was told I did have to renew my passport and was recommended to use the fast tracked option. However I didn't have the money to pay for the fast tracked and couldn't get down to Glasgow to get it for the 1 week option so I had to renew it via the standard option. Although I was very lucky and got my new passport in less than 3 weeks.
We also had to reregister for DOC, even though we registered with DOC for our last program, they must have wiped everyones details when the programs got shut down. We had to update it with a scan of our passport, a previous work visa, address, emergency contact, visa appointment location and an English statement.
Then came the waiting game, we were told many different things when we asked how long it would take for us to hear back regarding a start date. Some people were told we would hear within a few hours, some were told weeks so really we had no idea when we could find out. However on the 28th of April at 8:13pm, exactly 2 weeks to the day since our interviews, I got my email with my start date. I will say the emails were sent out sporadically, and it appeared the emails that went out at the same time were the ones who all had the same start date. My official offer was for a start date of August 22nd and my role would be merchandise. I did say during my interview although I was food and beverage last time I would be perfectly happy with Merch. This is purely due to the fact because I am not eligible to become a server, I would get paid the same for Merch as I would for food & bev however there are more benefits to merchandise. Being in merchandise means you get air conditioning, you get away from your shifts faster on a night, you get more interaction with guests than you do with quick service with pin trading and such and the main bonus, you don't come out smelling like a chippy.
I accepted my offer right away and paid my program fees which were $425, more expensive than when the program was previously up and running in order to cover the cost of housing before you begin earning a wage. Since we received our offers we haven't had any communication regarding criminal background checks, visas or anything. So in order to prepare without having anything to actually do I have been buying stuff in preparation. I have a full packing list which I will do a post on at a later date.
After weeks of searching for a flight and feeling deflated looking at the prices I almost gave up hope. As I live in the Highlands I have to travel down South to go anywhere, but with Glasgow no longer flying to Orlando, the only options I really had was Manchester and London. Virgin Atlantic, who is my favourite airline to fly with, were through the roof averaging at £1600. However a friend of mine really saved my ass but getting my mates rates with Virgin so I managed to get it for £480 from Manchester, my parents have also offered to drive me down South so I don't have to get a flight from Inverness. My dad also managed to get me a free night at the airport hotel with his loyalty points so I am driving down the day before my flight. Once I land in Orlando a friend of mine is picking me up at MCO and I get to crash with him for 3 nights so I am so grateful to have all of these people in my life who have helped me save a lot of money!
And that brings us up-to-date! I will do more blog posts updating you guys on the process but for now my countdown sits at 80 days until I drive to Manchester. This is all so surreal I can't believe I am going to be back home making magic!
Housing
Flamingo Crossings Village offers 2 and 4 bedroom apartments and you do have the option to link up with someone. All apartments feature hardwood-style flooring, stainless steel appliances, a washer and dryer, Wi-Fi, a TV and furniture. You can either choose between:
Shared Bedroom & Bathroom ($185 a week)
Private Bedroom & Shared Bathroom ($205 a week)
Private Bedroom & Bathroom ($225 a week)
These prices are for 2022 and will increase by $10 in 2023
Flamingo Crossings has a Community Center, including a 12,500 sq ft fitness center, multipurpose lounges, and indoor recreation with ping pong, billiards, arcade games. There is swimming pools, basketball and sand volleyball courts, and a courtyard space. There is 24 hour on call staff and a patrol officer.
Flamingo Crossings is Disney's replacement for Crossroads of Lake Buena Vista which recently closed. Flamingo Crossings is located on the West side of Walt Disney World on Western Way next to State Road 429. The shopping center town center will include:
7-Eleven
Ben & Jerry's
Bento
Asian Kitchen + Sushi
Domino's Pizza
Dunkin Donuts
Ellie Lou's Brews & BBQ
Encore Nails
Firehouse Subs
Five Below
Five Guys Burgers
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining
Hash House a Go Go
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Nick Filet
Ovation Bistro & Bar
PDQ
Persimmon Hollow Brewing Company
Pieology Pizzeria
Pita Mediterranean Street Food
Starbucks
Simply Capri
Target
The UPS Store
Walgreens
Wendy's
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