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The DCP: STARLIT SPLASH
Whatsup, dudes! It's so totally cool that you voted to see a blog on the Disney College Program’s STARLIT SPLASH! So catch a wave with me, cause here we gooooo!
The STARLIT SPLASH is basically a GIANT BEACH PARTY at Disney World that ONLY hosts cast members on the College Program. And there are about 5,000 of us per semester. 5,000. College students. In a wave pool. On the beach. Let the that sink in.
So every semester, Disney Housing Events hosts a huge end of program celebration bash. And let me tell you, Disney knows how to through a party. If you happen to be here on the fall program, you get a winter formal, usually hosted at Coronado Springs. However, if you are on the spring program, you get THE STARLIT SPLASH. (I will be capitalizing STARLIT SPLASH for the rest of the post because it is STARLIT enough to deserve it).
This event, usually held the first week in May, is “free” to all college program cast members (remember the $150 program fee you paid to accept your role? Yeah … “free.” Make sure you go to as many housing events as possible to get your money’s worth on that). Anyways, Disney opens up Typhoon Lagoon waterpark for five hours for you and all of your CP friends to party the night away – but you can’t party too hard, as no gnarly liquids are allowed in, including sunscreen (nice try).
But you literally don’t even need the liquids. Because you seriously walk into a private beach party at Disney World, backtracked by all kinds of beachy reggae music, and basically feel like the cool 90’s kids you always wanted to be from the purple Mickey’s Beach Party Singalong VHS. Suddenly you remember all the words to boop boop dittem dattem whatum chu and Surfin’ Safari. Your body involuntarily starts doing all the choreography to Pearly Shells. Then you’re doing the twist on the beach and singing Celebrate Good Times. The only thing missing from this party is snorkeling Mickey. You will want to at least take one running victory lap around the beach, embracing the fact that the park is closed just for you and your fellow cast members for the night and you don’t have to deal with any guests. Go ahead, throw some sand in the air, splash through the shoreline, climb a palm tree! (Okay, don’t do that last one … but let your heart feel as free!)
Now let me tell you about all the cool stuff they have for you! If you get there early enough, you will get a free STARLIT SPLASH t-shirt (I was sad to find out it is the same t-shirt every year, because I had already gotten the same t-shirt on my last program), and glow sticks! (Make sure to wear these in the wave pool to make the water extra STARLIT).
There will be an awesome DJ on the beach stage, announcing GLOW IN THE DARK FACEPAINT (I got mine to look like a mermaid), an unlimited dinner buffet of chicken nuggets, quesadillas, spicy spinach wraps, and deep-fried hamburger rolls (the food is slightly different every year). And the best part, unlimited Mickey ice cream and fruit bars! This party has all you could ever need already. But wait, there’s more!
Throughout the night you will see super cool Disney performers/characters/stiltwalkers (depends on the year) roaming the area. They always bring in some sort of cool entertainment. Sometimes it is fire eaters, sometimes a dance. This year we had hula hoops and LED jump ropes, which were pretty awesome. When the performers aren’t doin their thing, the DJ is hyping up the dance floor, or they are shooting fireworks into the sky. There really is never a dull moment on this beach. You can also get your pictures taken in select spots by Disney’s Photopass, with a free download of the photo! This is a steal considering that a standard download of any Memory Maker photo usually costs $16.
As far as the rest of the park, you won’t have to wait in more than a five minute line for any given water ride the whole night. The wave pool full of excited college kids and their glow sticks is a scene of utter hilarity, especially when the horn blows to announce the first wave. You’ve not seen more fun in one contained space in your life. Also, the wave pool and lazy river are heated so you don’t even get that cold! (Until you get out and realize your locker that safely contains your warm fuzzy towel is all the way on the other side of the park – Pro tip: bring said towel to the wave pool with you). Speaking of lockers, locker rentals are free! Just make sure you get there in time to reserve one. It is a good idea to pair up with friends on this to conserve lockers for others coming behind you after they get off work!
I think I’ve about covered it all. In my opinion, the best way to do the STARLIT SPLASH is to get there early to maximize your fun (if you get there a little before it starts, they will start letting you in beforehand to get through bag check and get a locker and such). Get your t-shirt, your glow stick, your locker, and then wait to be admitted to the rest of the park. Go ahead and get your first plate of food first thing so that you can come back later hungry for more! Also make sure you to get your face painted pretty early, because it is just going to slide off your face once you get in the water later, and you will look like the matchmaker from Mulan and have to shout to your friends “YOU WILL NEVER BRING YOUR FAMILY HONOR” until you can find a bathroom to wipe it off. After that, just enjoy the dancing, more food, the wave pool, the water rides, more dancing, more food, more ice cream, until you just can’t stay STARLIT anymore. I personally like to finish the night off with one last Mickey bar and a nice lazy river ride around the park, back to my locker. Then you can get into your big fuzzy towel, go home, and rest well, knowing that you have successfully completed a whole semester working for the biggest entertainment company in the world, and you deserved a darn good party. Righteouuusssss.
Splash ya later, dudes!
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