As someone who is anxious and worries about missing details when approaching important tasks, getting organized was one of the best things that helped me to prepare for my arrival date. Before any Disney Program, there is a lot of tasks that Disney asks you to complete prior to arrival and with my personal experience, I took the resources provided to me and made my own game plan. I love creating my own itineraries for trips, I love to be organized and always be prepared to the best of my ability. I wanted to make sure I did not miss any requirements that Disney needed from me; so I created a calendar with timelines and due dates based on the information provided. I also set reminders on my phone so I would not miss a task. I wanted to showcase my commitment, organization skills and dedication to the program from the beginning.

When it comes to preparing for any Disney Program, in addition to your personal organization preferences, I highly recommend utilizing Disney Program’s Arrival Preparation and Arrival Day Web Page. The Disney Programs website is excellent at providing resources, to help new arrivals prepare for their program and answering frequently asked questions. Before arrival day, they can’t provide answers to everything just yet, more and more information is revealed as the arrival date gets closer. The Arrival Preparation Page offers links including details on accommodations, pre-arrival tips, registering for DORMS (Disney’s On-Site Resident Management Systems), how arrival day will generally look and my personal favorite, a break down timeline of when to do what for the program. The list is broken down by time periods from immediate action, what to do 30-60 days before arrival and what to do 10-20 days before arrival.

There are certain tasks on the Pre-Arrival Check List that Disney expects you to complete prior to arriving, otherwise they can void your acceptance. If Disney has a task that is high priority they usually e-mail you about it. The website provides most of the general questions about the program. If you have any specific and personal questions I recommend e-mailing the Disney Programs Support Team directly. I e-mailed the Programs Support Team several times and they were prompt, reliable and responded in a timely manner.

I find the best way to combat my anxiety and fear is knowledge- staying on top of tasks really helped me feel more comfortable and confident about participating in the program and moving across the country. Any form of trepidation can be expected when making such a huge life change and I know, not everyone is comforted by organization. If you are feeling anxious and are the type of person who may get overwhelmed by itineraries and calendars, just make sure you are well informed so you know what you need to do for your program. With that being said, I hope that the information that I have provided above will be great a first step with keeping yourself well informed and prepared for your own arrival date.