So you want to be in the Walt Disney World College Program?  Then be prepared (as Scar would say…) to trade in your dorm room and live in CP Housing.  As a college program participant, or CP for short, you will be placed in one of three housing complexes: Vista Way, Chatham Square and Patterson Court.  The Commons is a fourth complex, but it is almost exclusively reserved for international participants.

A set amount is taken out of your paycheck automatically every week and can rage from $75-$100 depending on which complex you live in and how many roommates you have. This might sound like a lot, but it basically evens out when you consider you’ll be paying $300-$400 a month for rent, utilities, cable, Internet and bus transportation. The more roommates you have, the cheaper your rent will be. It breaks down like this:

One bedroom = You + 1 other person
Two bedrooms = You + 3 other people
Three bedrooms = You + 5 other people
Four bedrooms = You + 7 other people

Living with 7 other people might sound insane, and there’s a good chance that one of your roommates might actually be insane, but you came down here to meet new people, remember? Disney does allow you the opportunity to get to know your roommate before you move in if you choose. Once you accept your invitation to join the WDWCP, you can opt into the roommate notification program, which will randomly match you with a roommate so you can communicate before you arrive. You can also request to room with someone as long as they are the same gender (unless you are a married couple), have the same arrival and departure dates and agree to live in a Wellness (no alcohol) or Non-wellness (alcohol) apartment.

Some good ways to meet roommates are to join CP Facebook and MySpace groups, scour YouTube for volgs of upcoming participants or check out one of the many Disney related message boards. One good one is Disboards.com, which has its own forum for college students.
Okay, enough schematics. Let’s get on with the descriptions:

The most legendary of all Disney sponsored housing.  Vista Way’s reputation as the party spot precedes itself.  Vista was the first and only housing complex for CPs for around 30 years until Chatham Square opened in 2000. Therefore, there are few antics that Vista hasn’t seen or done repeatedly long before you were watching Lizzy McGuire on the Disney Channel.If you happen to be placed in Vista Way, don’t panic. Although some crazy stories abound on the Internet, a 24-hour security team will hunt you down faster than a hungry pack of hyenas if there is any noise in your apartment after 10 p.m.  That doesn’t mean there aren’t still parties, and if you’re over 21 you shouldn’t have any problem attending one.  Just don’t go in the hot tub…

As far as amenities, Vista Way was built in the 1970s by the same people who built EPCOT – which means it’s kind of old.  But if you don’t mind being the 42829 th person to sleep in your bed, you’ll be paying the lowest rent of any of the three complexes. And at roles starting at $7.25 an hour, that’s a pretty good deal if you ask me. Besides, the rooms aren’t that bad. Just remember to pack on of these.

Chatham Square represents the middle class of CP housing and is more like Vista Way’s younger, more sophisticated brother. It is newer and nicer than Vista, but you’ll never hear the end of it from the Patterson Court kids who won’t stop talking about how supple their sofa cushions are, especially since you’ll pay nearly the same to live in Chatham as Patterson. However, if you don’t concentrate too hard on the occasional weird stain on the carpet, life in Chatham is pretty good. Located in Little Lake Bryan about a 10 minute drive removed from Vista Way, this is probably the best place to live if you don’t have a car because the Disney bus terminal, which is also shared by the Patterson Court complex, is  just outside the security gates.  That means more sleep for you and a longer walk to the buses for the Patterson kids. Score one point for the middle class!

One huge advantage of living at Chatham is that you are literally across the street from Mickey’s Retreat, a recreation complex for the exclusive use of Disney Cast Members that offers sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, soccer nets, pools, fishing, boat rentals, BBQ grills, hammocks, table tennis and of course tether ball! It’s a great place to spend a day off if you don’t want to visit the parks.

Before I begin my description of Patterson Court, I’d like to draw your attention to this quick YouTube video. Now I’m not 100% certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if those guys made that video after they moved into Patterson. Opened in the summer of 2008, Patterson Court, as you probably guessed by now, is the jewel of Disney CP housing. It is also located in Little Lake Bryan and is just a stone’s throw from Chatham Square.  I had the distinct privilege of being among the first to move in when I was a CP in the Fall of 2008. Everything smelled of brand new wood, the water whooshed down the toilet with impressive speed when flushed and I even got to open the box containing our brand new pots, pans, dishes and cups. Life was good.

But although a few generations of CPs have moved in since, word on the street is Patterson Court is still pristine. Of course Patterson is the most expensive of the three complexes, but you have to pay for luxury.
One important note: Patterson Court is the only complex that does not have a bus stop. This will not be a problem if you bring a car (which I HIGHLY recommend), but it could become a bummer if you have to walk an extra 10-15 minutes down the street every morning to Chatham to pick up Disney bus transportation.