Congratulations? Now what?

You've sent in your application, gone through a nerve wracking interview and now think every *ding* on your phone is the arrival of that all too important you've been waiting for. It can be junk mail or....it can be an acceptance email from the DCP!

And yes, this is what you will do. You will scream and jump up and down. And then you'll start crying. You'll compose yourself and then start calling your family and all of a sudden, you're crying again. And you keep rereading the email making sure it does say your name and that is is in fact followed by a congratulations. At least that's how it went for me anyway....

So, what do you do next?

You will continue reading in that email that you have 10 days to accept your offer. Keep in mind it is not 10 days since YOU read the email, it's 10 days from the time ticker on the email, this is why it is important to check your email everyday.

At the bottom of the email there will be a link directing you to a page where you can review your offer letter. It will contain your role and your pay rate. It will also go over again information about housing and its fees (which I talk about next) and the Disney Look guidelines. When you accept your offer, you accept those guidelines so make sure you read everything through. Don't show up to your check in with gauges in your ears, a crazy haircut or hair color because they will send you back home immediately.

After you accept your offer, you will receive another email with a link directing you to pay your deposit. BOTH the acceptance of your offer and payment of your housing fees need to be done within the 10 days to completely accept you offer.

You will notice that the fee is $300. This fee gets broken up into 2 divisions as follows:

Rent: $200 will be going towards your first few weeks of rent. When you get down for your program you will notice your first week or two isn't loaded with a lot of hours. But you are in Disney housing for those first few weeks and still have to pay rent. This $200 goes towards you first rent payments so depending on your weekly rent fee, it can cover the first 2 weeks an some of the third. This is REALLY helpful. In your first few weeks you will be doing a big initial grocery shop, possibly buying bedding and bath linens, and any odds and ends you find that you need as you get settled in. Knowing that the money you will be earning in those first few week directly comes to you and not rent gives you enough of a start.

Events: $100 will go toward DCP Housing. Housing is always throwing great housing events and trips, check out the Housing Events tag right here on my blog for a quick preview of what you can expect! Movie nights include free popcorn and drinks, grocery bingo gives out free groceries as a prize, and housing events always include the DJ, free food, and really awesome character meet and greets. One of the housing events is your DCP graduation where you get your certificate and free Mickey ears. There's also a chance your program will fall in the time frame of Starlit Splash where they rent out Typhoon Lagoon just for CPs, or the CP formal. These are all FREE. I don't know about you, but I like free. I can't tell you how many things I have accumulated over my programs. I have my Mickey ears, 2 memory boxes, a DCP poster, DCP speakers, a free t-shirt, a lot of free food, and great memories with friends! You definitely get your moneys worth and then some!

After that, you will get another email with a link directing you the onboarding website. This is where you can review all you need to know about Disney Look, what to pack, I9 document information, and anything else you can think of as you start getting ready for your program.

After this, you are pretty much on your own. It's up to you to figure out how you are going to get down for your program which can include getting a hotel and purchasing train or plane tickets, that is all up to you and on your budget. Approximately 10 days-2 weeks before your arrival date you will get an email regarding selecting your apartment and filling out the last bit of paperwork.

Know that when you accept your offer to be a member of the Disney College Program, you are an accepting a great life experience. You get the magic and entertainment of Disney at your fingertips, the chance to work in a worldwide cherished company with a team filled with wonderful talent and leaders, and the chance to make new friends who you will make memories with to remember well long after your program is over. Yes it does come with a price but believe me, the experience itself is priceless!

Have you gotten your acceptance email? Congratulations! Leave your role and program dates in the comments!