Thursday, May 31, 2012

Home Sweet Home

Since I talked about finding roommates in this post, I decided I should also mention the housing available for Disney College Program participants.  There are 3 different housing complexes:  Vista Way, Chatham Square, and Patterson Court.  There are 1 to 4-bedroom apartments available, with 2 people sharing a bedroom.  Thus, there can be 2 to 8 people living together.  The main advantage of a 4-bedroom apartment is an additional refrigerator; the downside, however, is that the 3 and 4-bedroom apartments cost the same. 

Built in 1988, Vista Way is the oldest of the complexes.  It is considered to have more of a “party” atmosphere than the other 2 complexes, but since this building is older it does have the cheapest rent.  It is also right near a Walgreens and other various stores/fast food venues.  There is also a bus stop located here to take you to all the theme parks, as well as a shopping center.

Chatham Square is the “middle” complex.  It’s not the oldest, but not the youngest; not the cleanest, but not the dirtiest; not the loudest, but not the quietest.  Since Chatham was built in 2000, it is still fairly new.  One really nice aspect of Chatham is that it is located across the street from Mickey’s Retreat, which is a recreation complex for Cast Members (sand volleyball courts, pools, hammocks, tennis courts, grills, table tennis, tether ball).  Like Vista Way, there is a bus stop here too. 

Patterson Court is the newest and the nicest of all three complexes.  It was built in 2008 and is still in excellent condition.  Because Patterson is in such great condition it is the most expensive, but not by much (I believe the rent is $1 more than that for Chatham).  One downside is that there is no bus stop, so you will have to walk to the one in Chatham. 

My roommates and I have discussed which housing complex we would like to live in and have decided on Chatham.  We chose this complex because the rooms are in good condition and it has a bus stop.  None of us are too worried about security, but if I’m arriving from work at 3 am I would rather be dropped off near my apartment.    

One additional note about policies.  Drugs and other illegal substances are forbidden.  Alcohol is not allowed in the “wellness” apartments, which are for participants under 21.  If you are over 21, then you can opt into a wellness apartment by signing a contract agreement.  There is also a security team at each complex; this means that a valid property ID is required to access your complex and no visitors can stay later than 1 am.  If any of these are breached, they could result in termination.  Always keep a sharp eye and make sure this doesn't happen to you! 

Since I don’t drink or like to party, I'd rather live in a wellness apartment.  I don’t mind if others around me like to party occasionally, but I don’t want to have to deal with alcohol problems in my apartment.  My roommates and I will hopefully make it to check-in early enough so we can get exactly what we want:  A 3-bedroom apartment in Chatham Square.  Can't wait for June 11th!

Well, that’s all for tonight.  I promise I will post my packing list soon and will begin a Countdown to Disney – starting tomorrow!  Yes, you should be completely excited to learn even more about my Disney favorites.  Have a magical night!

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