Long Slide Warning!
- Housing -
Alright, back to helping people prepare for the Disney College Family. I just had to rant about the joy of Disney's Hollywood Studios. A lot of people also have questions on Housing options at Disney so I feel as if this is a pretty important part of the DCP. Now I will talk about housing options for the CP in Florida since that's what I have my experience in.
Housing is not scary. I am a only child who has never lived away from home before. My freshman year in college, I did live on campus, but I was twenty minutes away from home and never stayed over on the weekends. Disney makes you feel very comfortable, no matter where you decide to say. Security is very tight in fact. There are security guards stationed at every entrance of the housing complexes and you must show your housing I.D. to get through security. Even if you decided to bring your car with you, your car even gets its own identification badge on the window. You must sign in all guests which means they need to have I.D. with them and no guests are even allowed in after a certain time at night. Also security guards make rounds throughout all the buildings at different times in throughout the night.
Housing is not scary. I am a only child who has never lived away from home before. My freshman year in college, I did live on campus, but I was twenty minutes away from home and never stayed over on the weekends. Disney makes you feel very comfortable, no matter where you decide to say. Security is very tight in fact. There are security guards stationed at every entrance of the housing complexes and you must show your housing I.D. to get through security. Even if you decided to bring your car with you, your car even gets its own identification badge on the window. You must sign in all guests which means they need to have I.D. with them and no guests are even allowed in after a certain time at night. Also security guards make rounds throughout all the buildings at different times in throughout the night.
Like I mentioned in a previous post, I stayed in one bedroom apartment in the Chatham Square Apartments which was the best decision I ever made. I loved them.I had a balcony and our apartment was huge. I just had one roomate who also worked at the Magic Kingdom Boutique (who currently is a campus representative at her college), and we lived a simple life. Also, it was a three minute walk from my apartment to the bus stop which was nice because I am lazy.
There are three housing Options that you can choose from. Tip number 5,202, find out all you can about your housing options before you go because once your check in date arrives, they ask you up front what housing complex you want to be in so make sure you know! You don't want to be placed in one that is not compatible with your personality. I know that sounds weird, but each complex has a reputation, so know what you are getting into.
1. Vista Way - Vista Way is the oldest and largest housing complex. It was the only housing complex for about 30 years until Chatham Square opened in 2000. It also has the lowest rent of any of the complexes. It has a pool, jacuzzi (don't use it!), and has a bad reputation as being the party complex. Now, I promised that I wouldn't be biased in the blog and just tell the facts, but the fact is that Vista Way shows its age in the upkeep in the complex and again, I cannot stress enough that this the parrrrtyy complex. I have friends that either loved this complex or hated it. There is no inbetween. A plus side of Vista Way is that they do have their own bus stop inside the complex and they are conviently located near some popular fast food venues and a Walgreens, which can always come in handy. It also has a computer lab and a little library you can rent out movies and books from. 
2. Chatham Square - I lovvved this complex! Every building is set up a little different and a lot of them have balconies. Some are even set up like townhomes which is really nice. Also, all the major events for the College Program like graduation and Thanksgiving Feast are held here out on the field. The bus stop is right outside the front gate so no matter where you live in Chatham, you are never a far walk from the bus stop. It's the second oldest and the apartments are beautiful. In terms of partying, it is middle of the road. My building was always super quiet. I also love the landscaping. Laundry buildings were spread out throughout the complex and you never had to walk far to get to them. It's just a nice complex. It is right across the street from Mickey's Retreat which is a nice little recreational place for cast members and located inside the living community of Little Lake Bryan, which is about ten minutes away from Vista Way. 
3. Patterson Court - Patterson Court, also in the living community complex of Little Lake Bryan, is the newest complex. Built in 2008, it is known as the most pristine of the complexes and as the retirement home of the Disney complexes and also has the newest appliances as well as the highest rent. The bus stop is at Patterson Court so you do have to walk to Chatham, but the walk is only about ten minutes. My good friend lived in Patterson and her apartment was beautiful, she just hated the walk. ^^
Alright, now again, everyone has their own different opinions of the aparment complexes. I am not a Vista Way girl. I don't like partying at all. I chose Chatham because of how close the bus stops was. I also like Patterson and Chatham because both are close to the International College housing complex, The Commons. I liked this because it was nice to be so close to international students and interact with people from all over the world. I also liked that Chatham and Patterson are both a few minutes walk from the Outlet mall which was nice for shopping, eating, and also transportation to other places other than Disney areas. I loved going to Universal Studios and International Drive on the busses that left from the Outlet mall. Now if you live in Vista Way, you too can come to this area, you just have to take a Disney bus to The Commons or Chatham then walk. Sorry, couldn't find a map that showed where all the College Program Housing is.But if you follow that road that winds past The Commons and turn left at the highway, Vista's about ten minutes away. Vista is right up the street from the main Downtown Disney entrance just to give you an area of where everything is.
Alright I found this on Wikipedia and I couldn't describe housing better myself....
"Each participant has the opportunity to choose to live in a one, two, three, or four bedroom apartment with two people sharing a bedroom. The cost of housing is deducted automatically from the student’s weekly salary. The cost of housing varies depending on the location of the student’s program. In Florida there is a program assessment fee of 100 dollar as well as a housing and administration fee for 200 dollars. In California the program assessment fee is 100 dollars, and a security deposit of 200 dollars as well as 560 dollars in housing and assessment fees. Students are expected to follow certain guidelines in the housing complexes, and the Disney Company has set up certain policies. Roommates are assigned by gender and age. If a student is under the age of 21 they are placed in a “Wellness Apartment”, or one that is deemed dry. All of the apartments are non-smoking in all areas."
Also, with the first initial housing fee, you do not pay your first two weeks rent because of that fee. Disney wants you to collect money before you are dishing it out for housing. I paid about $95 a week for my one bedroom in Chatham just to give you an idea of cost.
Here is a the link from Disney that decribes the Living situations too.
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