Showing posts with label disney culinary program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disney culinary program. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Disney Earning
I've been answering some questions regarding Disney and pay lately so thought this would be a good time to make a post about earning in the Disney Culinary Program. From what I understand, the regular College Program pays varies but follows the same principle.
How Much?
The rates for pay in the Disney Culinary Program are as follows:
-$8.45/hour with $12.68/hour OT for parks and resorts
-$9.10/hour with $13.65/hour OT for Magic Kingdom locations.
Additional Hours
A typical shift is 8 hours. But what happens if you work more than 8 hours? This is very common in the food industry where we often may work doubles and a lot of overtime. The following is an example that we often use during our DCP Presentations to give you an example of what your pay may be like:
Monday: You work your normal 8 hour shift, earning $8.45 an hour.
Tuesday: You're off today. Go enjoy the parks!
Wednesday: Today you are scheduled for a 10 hour shit. Your first 8 hours are paid at $8.45/hour. When you reach your 9th hour, you get bumped to $12.68 for hours 9 and 10.
Thursday: Today you are working double (16 hours). For the first 8 hours you get pad $8.45/hour. At the 9th hour you get bumped to $12.68/hour. At hour 14, you get bumped to $16.90 for the remainder of your shift. You closed the dinner shift and clocked out at midnight.
Friday: You are scheduled for the breakfast shift at 6 AM, this is less than 8 hours between shifts. When you come in, you are automatically clocked in at $16.90 for your entire shift.
Not too shabby huh? You are guaranteed at least 30 hours and can sometimes work upwards of 50 hours a week. My location was a bit overstaffed and I was still bringing in about 34 hours/week.
Bonus, no state taxes are taken out in Florida!
How Do I Get My Money?
You will be paid every week. If you bring a void check or your routing numbers with you, you can opt for direct deposit. Your first 2 paychecks however, or all of them if you opt for this option, will be put onto a visa-like card given to you by casting on your check-in day. This card acts like any other credit/debit card, can be used at ATMs, and gives you online access to check your balance. All your paychecks will directly go to this card, no paper needed.
Rent Payments
If you do your payroll calculations in your head and you see hm, I'm shore $80 something bucks, don't sweat! It's your rent! Disney directly takes your rent out of your paycheck every week, you don't have to write a rent check out to anyone!
Did I Make Money?
Yes, I did. I honestly cannot imagine anyone blowing all of their earnings before they come home. This is the real world, you have to watch your money. I budgeted my groceries at about $50 a shop and I always stayed within budget or around it. I've found that I stayed within my budget more in Florida than in Rhode Island. And pace your purchases. Yeah I ate in the parks and got my souvenir popcorn buckets and mickey bars, but not all in one shot! You're there for months at a time, you can buy popcorn this week and go to Be Our Guest next week. I did this with souvenir shopping as well, don't wait until right before you leave to buy EVERYTHING, it's much easier on the eyes to see it taken out over time than in one big withdrawal at the end.
Company D and Cast Connections will be your best friend, they offer discounted items to Cast Members. I got a WDW sweatshirt for $11 instead of $45 because there was a little blotch on the sleeve, you honestly wouldn't even see it unless I pointed it out to you, it took me ages to find it myself!
As long as you watch your money and balance your spending, I assure you you will come back with some pixie dust in your pocket and money in the bank!
How Much?
The rates for pay in the Disney Culinary Program are as follows:
-$8.45/hour with $12.68/hour OT for parks and resorts
-$9.10/hour with $13.65/hour OT for Magic Kingdom locations.
Additional Hours
A typical shift is 8 hours. But what happens if you work more than 8 hours? This is very common in the food industry where we often may work doubles and a lot of overtime. The following is an example that we often use during our DCP Presentations to give you an example of what your pay may be like:
Monday: You work your normal 8 hour shift, earning $8.45 an hour.
Tuesday: You're off today. Go enjoy the parks!
Wednesday: Today you are scheduled for a 10 hour shit. Your first 8 hours are paid at $8.45/hour. When you reach your 9th hour, you get bumped to $12.68 for hours 9 and 10.
Thursday: Today you are working double (16 hours). For the first 8 hours you get pad $8.45/hour. At the 9th hour you get bumped to $12.68/hour. At hour 14, you get bumped to $16.90 for the remainder of your shift. You closed the dinner shift and clocked out at midnight.
Friday: You are scheduled for the breakfast shift at 6 AM, this is less than 8 hours between shifts. When you come in, you are automatically clocked in at $16.90 for your entire shift.
Not too shabby huh? You are guaranteed at least 30 hours and can sometimes work upwards of 50 hours a week. My location was a bit overstaffed and I was still bringing in about 34 hours/week.
Bonus, no state taxes are taken out in Florida!
How Do I Get My Money?
You will be paid every week. If you bring a void check or your routing numbers with you, you can opt for direct deposit. Your first 2 paychecks however, or all of them if you opt for this option, will be put onto a visa-like card given to you by casting on your check-in day. This card acts like any other credit/debit card, can be used at ATMs, and gives you online access to check your balance. All your paychecks will directly go to this card, no paper needed.
Rent Payments
If you do your payroll calculations in your head and you see hm, I'm shore $80 something bucks, don't sweat! It's your rent! Disney directly takes your rent out of your paycheck every week, you don't have to write a rent check out to anyone!
Did I Make Money?
Yes, I did. I honestly cannot imagine anyone blowing all of their earnings before they come home. This is the real world, you have to watch your money. I budgeted my groceries at about $50 a shop and I always stayed within budget or around it. I've found that I stayed within my budget more in Florida than in Rhode Island. And pace your purchases. Yeah I ate in the parks and got my souvenir popcorn buckets and mickey bars, but not all in one shot! You're there for months at a time, you can buy popcorn this week and go to Be Our Guest next week. I did this with souvenir shopping as well, don't wait until right before you leave to buy EVERYTHING, it's much easier on the eyes to see it taken out over time than in one big withdrawal at the end.
Company D and Cast Connections will be your best friend, they offer discounted items to Cast Members. I got a WDW sweatshirt for $11 instead of $45 because there was a little blotch on the sleeve, you honestly wouldn't even see it unless I pointed it out to you, it took me ages to find it myself!
As long as you watch your money and balance your spending, I assure you you will come back with some pixie dust in your pocket and money in the bank!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The DCP: 1 Year Later
So it has been a year, 52 weeks, 365 days. 1 year ago from right now, my friend and I were sitting in Orlando International Airport waiting to catch our flight back to Newark Airport and home to New Jersey. It was all over, done.
I had already clocked out of the Polynesian for the last time.
One of my roommates had to leave a day early so on the same night as my last shift at the Polynesian, my other roommates threw us a going away party. We "Bernie"d in the living room, danced to One Direction (I successfully converted all my roommates into Directioners!) dressed up in our sombrero, planked, you name it, we just went crazy. They gave us each a card and my Aussie roommate gave us an Australian postcard, of course I still have both. The real kicker was that they made us a brownie cake iced with "Have A Magical Day!"
Maybe they could have taken over in the kitchen!
The next day was my last day with park access, I hit up all 4 in one day. Each on progressively got harder to say goodbye to. I went to DAK first and it was sad riding my favorite Expedition Everest for the last time. I got upset saying goodbye to DHS because that was where we came for our first night as Cast Members. Then I went to Epcot, not knowing it would be my home later this year. I walked around the pavilions, met up with my friend to say goodbye, then headed over to Magic Kingdom.
Oh how I cried. My roommate came over and we got Casey's Corner during Wishes! We walked around, rode rides, went shopping, and then came time to say goodbye. I remember us sitting on the border of the partners statue and just sobbing. There's a little thing at the end of the night where the castle turns blue and Mickey comes over the loudspeaker to say goodnight and wish you safe travels if you're going home and for 3 months I never paid attention to that sentence, and now it applied to me. I cried because I was sad yes, but not because something hurt me or that I was mad, I was sad because I didn't want to go.
I had to come home and pack because as per usual, I left everything to the last minute (my baking structure leaves as soon as I leave the kitchen!) and then I woke up to say goodbye. I had to say goodbye to my apartment, I had to say goodbye to my roommates. Surprisingly I didn't cry, I don't think there was anything left TO cry. My friend and I wheeled our stuff out, turned in our housing IDs, and boarded the shuttle to the airport.
Those who fly will know you have a 50 lb. limit for your checked in bag. I picked mine up with no problem so I thought it was within limit. Well, constantly picking up bags of flour must have given me some muscle because my bag was really 68 lbs. Yeah. I spent about a good hour and a half trying to condense it down. I was throwing out old white shirts from my costume, flip flops, you name it. and I got it down to 51 pounds thinking maybe I can bat my eyes and have them let it go. Thankfully they did, with some added sass of course and it had to be checked by security, but it went on the plane. and so did I.
Life has not been the same since I've been back. I didn't want to come back partially because of the shitty summer I had in store because we were moving out of my home of nearly 18 years. but my work in Disney got me a job that I love here. School was a bit hard because I really just wanted to be back in Disney and I was going through my own things like depression and just losing all of my motivation for anything and everything. But Spring came around and I applied for the program and here I am, it's been a year since I left but it's only 50 days til I go back :)
I had already clocked out of the Polynesian for the last time.
One of my roommates had to leave a day early so on the same night as my last shift at the Polynesian, my other roommates threw us a going away party. We "Bernie"d in the living room, danced to One Direction (I successfully converted all my roommates into Directioners!) dressed up in our sombrero, planked, you name it, we just went crazy. They gave us each a card and my Aussie roommate gave us an Australian postcard, of course I still have both. The real kicker was that they made us a brownie cake iced with "Have A Magical Day!"
The next day was my last day with park access, I hit up all 4 in one day. Each on progressively got harder to say goodbye to. I went to DAK first and it was sad riding my favorite Expedition Everest for the last time. I got upset saying goodbye to DHS because that was where we came for our first night as Cast Members. Then I went to Epcot, not knowing it would be my home later this year. I walked around the pavilions, met up with my friend to say goodbye, then headed over to Magic Kingdom.
Oh how I cried. My roommate came over and we got Casey's Corner during Wishes! We walked around, rode rides, went shopping, and then came time to say goodbye. I remember us sitting on the border of the partners statue and just sobbing. There's a little thing at the end of the night where the castle turns blue and Mickey comes over the loudspeaker to say goodnight and wish you safe travels if you're going home and for 3 months I never paid attention to that sentence, and now it applied to me. I cried because I was sad yes, but not because something hurt me or that I was mad, I was sad because I didn't want to go.
I had to come home and pack because as per usual, I left everything to the last minute (my baking structure leaves as soon as I leave the kitchen!) and then I woke up to say goodbye. I had to say goodbye to my apartment, I had to say goodbye to my roommates. Surprisingly I didn't cry, I don't think there was anything left TO cry. My friend and I wheeled our stuff out, turned in our housing IDs, and boarded the shuttle to the airport.
Those who fly will know you have a 50 lb. limit for your checked in bag. I picked mine up with no problem so I thought it was within limit. Well, constantly picking up bags of flour must have given me some muscle because my bag was really 68 lbs. Yeah. I spent about a good hour and a half trying to condense it down. I was throwing out old white shirts from my costume, flip flops, you name it. and I got it down to 51 pounds thinking maybe I can bat my eyes and have them let it go. Thankfully they did, with some added sass of course and it had to be checked by security, but it went on the plane. and so did I.
Life has not been the same since I've been back. I didn't want to come back partially because of the shitty summer I had in store because we were moving out of my home of nearly 18 years. but my work in Disney got me a job that I love here. School was a bit hard because I really just wanted to be back in Disney and I was going through my own things like depression and just losing all of my motivation for anything and everything. But Spring came around and I applied for the program and here I am, it's been a year since I left but it's only 50 days til I go back :)
Friday, May 17, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Thank You and Mahalo
1 year ago at this time, May 16 at about 10ish, I was in tears. I was crying because I had just clocked out from being a Polynesian Cast Member for the last time. I had just finished my last breads shift, my last time mixing Kona bread, my last time making pans of Ohana Breakfast Bread, my last time helping out on Graveyard. My last shift at work with the ohana.
I can tell you it was pouring rain in Florida that night because I remember sitting on the little benches outside waiting for the bus and it just kept pouring and pouring. I was sitting there crying on the phone with my mom talking about how I didn't want to go (although she couldn't wait for me to leave because it meant seeing her again after 3 months) but I just cried. I had smuggled a cup of the Ohana Bread Pudding in cup, but even that didn't make me feel better.
That night didn't just mark the end of my chapter at the Polynesian, it marked the end of a chapter where amongst those pages, I learned a lot about myself. I learned what kind of environment I want to work for, I want to work in the places with high expectations and morals, I want to work in a place where you make people happy, I realized that I didn't just want to do an internship but that I wanted to work here for the rest of my life. I opened up more, I actually talked to a guy (what? I know) and I let my personality shine. It is a lot easier to showcase your Disney obsession in Disney World than college. Wearing mouse ears on campus may cause a few head turns...
Yes, I learned how to make bread but I learned how to make A LOT of bread and how to do it right. My first rack of bread wasn't perfect but overtime I got the hang of it. On dessert bar I was so scared of it the first day because I always said I was not made for tickets and made to order dishes, but I conquered even the busiest of my shifts. I learned a lot about the industry in the kitchen, and a lot about myself outside of it. Even though Peter Pan would be upset to hear it, I grew up even more.
At the end of the night, I cried because I didn't want to leave. but I told myself it would not be the last time I stepped inside of a Disney kitchen and put the culinary costume back on. ad here I am, with a countdown to my second internship and a dream of making it my career.
The Disney Culinary Program, any program, will change your live. Yes you will work and you will play, but you will also learn and grow. Maybe your role won't relate to your major, but you will learn about yourself. and this internship can open so many doors, I got my job through this, Disney on a resume just screams 'wow'. So go for it, dream, work for it and learn from it and I promise, you won't regret it.
I can tell you it was pouring rain in Florida that night because I remember sitting on the little benches outside waiting for the bus and it just kept pouring and pouring. I was sitting there crying on the phone with my mom talking about how I didn't want to go (although she couldn't wait for me to leave because it meant seeing her again after 3 months) but I just cried. I had smuggled a cup of the Ohana Bread Pudding in cup, but even that didn't make me feel better.
That night didn't just mark the end of my chapter at the Polynesian, it marked the end of a chapter where amongst those pages, I learned a lot about myself. I learned what kind of environment I want to work for, I want to work in the places with high expectations and morals, I want to work in a place where you make people happy, I realized that I didn't just want to do an internship but that I wanted to work here for the rest of my life. I opened up more, I actually talked to a guy (what? I know) and I let my personality shine. It is a lot easier to showcase your Disney obsession in Disney World than college. Wearing mouse ears on campus may cause a few head turns...
Yes, I learned how to make bread but I learned how to make A LOT of bread and how to do it right. My first rack of bread wasn't perfect but overtime I got the hang of it. On dessert bar I was so scared of it the first day because I always said I was not made for tickets and made to order dishes, but I conquered even the busiest of my shifts. I learned a lot about the industry in the kitchen, and a lot about myself outside of it. Even though Peter Pan would be upset to hear it, I grew up even more.
At the end of the night, I cried because I didn't want to leave. but I told myself it would not be the last time I stepped inside of a Disney kitchen and put the culinary costume back on. ad here I am, with a countdown to my second internship and a dream of making it my career.
The Disney Culinary Program, any program, will change your live. Yes you will work and you will play, but you will also learn and grow. Maybe your role won't relate to your major, but you will learn about yourself. and this internship can open so many doors, I got my job through this, Disney on a resume just screams 'wow'. So go for it, dream, work for it and learn from it and I promise, you won't regret it.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
To all who come to this happy blog, welcome.
I have been blogging for a while but have decided to take the plunge and put out a professional blog, so here we are!
You may know me from Tumblr where I started blogging about my first Disney Culinary Program under my blog, disneybakerdcp. I invite you to go follow it if you like, however it is not solely Disney. In the world of Tumblr it is a 'multi-fandom' blog so it gets a bit messy, hence why I need a blog to collectively gather my thoughts. I created my blog to help educate others on the program since when I was looking for information well, it wasn't easy. I interact with my almost 1,100 followers daily posting information and answering questions and hope to do the same here on blogger. Posts here will be more organized and searchable by tags and categories, and only Disney. Sorry Doctor and 1D!
So what will this blog bring? In the coming months I am going to posts overviews on what it is like in the Disney Culinary Program in regards to living, earning and learning in Walt Disney World. Last Spring I was a Pastry Cook II at the Polynesian Resort through an internship with my school, Johnson & Wales University. The coming posts will mostly be reflective and informational, so now would be a great time to ask questions! Come July however, I will be liveblogging my experience again as I become a Pastry Cook II again for the Epcot Central Bakery and for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.
I invite you to join me in my magical adventure as we take a sneak peak into the life of not only a baker, but a Disney baker. As always, feel free to leave comments with any questions that I can address, this is a blog for YOU. I have loved helping my followers over the last year and a half and hope to do the same in our new home.
Have A Magical Day!
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