<p>I’m starting to think about move-in logistics. For those who are familiar with Cerro Vista:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I noted in the move-in guide the CV has elevators. Are there elevators for every unit? In other words, will we be able to avoid stairs completely during move-in?</p></li>
<li><p>How steep is the hill from the move-in parking area to the elevators? Will I be able to pack boxes on a flat dolly and get it to an elevator while avoiding steps and steep hills?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Helping my S move in a few years ago, they had a system where you were given a time slot to use one of the SMALL parking areas up on the hill within the apartment complex. His apartment was on the same level as the parking lot so we didn’t need to use the elevators. A dolly is a good thing to have. We had one and it made the job of moving easy.</p>
<p>While you wait for more answers, here is some reading material</p>
<p>[Cerro</a> Vista 2009-2010 | Facebook](<a href=“Facebook”>Redirecting...)</p>
<p>[calpoly:</a> Housing advice for Freshmen '08-'09](<a href=“http://community.livejournal.com/calpoly/244864.html]calpoly:”>Housing advice for Freshmen '08-'09 - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — LiveJournal)</p>
<p>Move OUT info…maybe some ideas in Loading your car</p>
<p><a href=“http://reslife.calpoly.edu/documents/checkout/CVA_Closing_Newsletter.pdf[/url]”>http://reslife.calpoly.edu/documents/checkout/CVA_Closing_Newsletter.pdf</a></p>
<p>Elevator locations, Cerro Vista marked with an “E”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/mapsplans/building/170Map.pdf[/url]”>http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/mapsplans/building/170Map.pdf</a></p>
<p>Lots of detailed dorm plans, but hard to read:</p>
<p>[Building</a> Floor Plans - Facilities - AFD - Cal Poly](<a href=“Building Floor Plans - Facilities Management & Development - Cal Poly”>Building Floor Plans - Facilities Management & Development - Cal Poly)</p>
<p>Way…too much information, I know, but I was curious a little while back because we weren’t able to do a dorm tour and found this info. in the CP Facilities dept.</p>
<p>There are elevators in every building. The hill is fairly steep, but you should be ok.</p>
<p>HPuck35, thanks for the experience tip. </p>
<p>SanDiego, great link to the Cerro Vista detailed map. That helped answer many of my questions.</p>
<p>FYI - Move in day for Cerro Vista is incredibly busy, so be prepared to be patient. Last year the parking lots were completely full by 10:00 am, and at times it took 30 minutes just to circle the lot. Do reserve a time to park and unload in front of the building. The elevators get a lot of use, so plan accordingly. Be sure to pick up the move-in packet ( keys, etc. ) at the community center first. If you can cope with the crowds, it is amazing to stand back and watch all these young adults taking this big step at such a beautiful college. Made me wish it was me moving in.</p>
<p>Thanks hbparents. I like your mention of watching the students taking such a big step. I am sure it will be amazing! At SOAR it sounded like they were not doing the assigned times for loading. They are encouraging students to go by a schedule that will be based on their zipcode. They realize that whatever they advise, many students and families just can’t wait and they will go in the morning. They said that it might be smart to just wait untilk later in the day, but I can’t see students doing that. They want to be part of the fun and to work with roommates to settle into the rooms. </p>
<p>Thank you for the tips about move in at Cerro. My son will be living there. It sounds like a busy, but exciting time!</p>
<p>Move in is Sept. 13th, right?
Is it less crowded if you come and move in to Cerro Vista at around 3 or 4 p.m.? I don’t feel like getting in traffic jams just to move in, specially when WoW doesn’t start till the 15th.
Plus, i don’t feel like getting up that early( i live 6 hrs away) :)</p>
<p>I helped S1 move into Cerro Vista last year. He reserved a parking time for around 2:30 if I remember correctly. We got there just a little early, found a place to park right outside his building, unloaded, and said goodbye 
It was very easy, well, except the goodbye part.</p>
<p>how do you reserve parking times?</p>
<p>I believe the prior year’s reserved parking system has been replaced with a system that suggests parking/move-in times based on home zip code. These are supposed to be published on Aug ~20th.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. In this instance, It seems like the later you are, the better :D</p>
<p>For the last several years during move-in days, Cal Poly offers dollies to borrow (one per family) for free (hope they do that again this year). There are various stations through out the residential areas that have a bunch of sturdy orange dollies. If they run out of dollies, you usually don’t have to wait long for one to be returned. Also, we brought 2 rinky dink fold-up dollies, which surprisingly came in handy. When we had to buy groceries, our fold-up dollies did the job carting the grocery bags up the Cerro hills. At move-out, there were no CP dollies but our fold up dollies worked again.</p>
<p>At move-in, you’ll soon discover the easiest way to get your stuff from the parking area to the room without using too many stairs. Try asking other students.</p>
<p>For the last several years during move-in days, Cal Poly offers dollies to borrow (one per family) for free (hope they do that again this year). There are various stations through out the residential areas that have a bunch of sturdy orange dollies. If they run out of dollies, you usually dont have to wait long for one to be returned. Also, we brought 2 rinky dink fold-up dollies, which surprisingly came in handy. When we had to buy groceries, our fold-up dollies did the job carting the grocery bags up the Cerro hills. At move-out, there were no CP dollies but our fold up dollies worked again.</p>
<p>At move-in, youll soon discover the easiest way to get your stuff from the parking area to the room without using too many stairs. Try asking other students.</p>
<p>Awesome tips eduparent! I will be sure that we bring a fold-up dolly and leave it there with my son. </p>
<p>I am hoping that my son will talk with his roommates about move-in times. It would be nice for them to arrive at similar times so they can do some of the setting up of the common areas together. I would think that someone who came a lot later in the day than the others, might feel a bit left out. I guess the kids could set-up their own bedrooms and wait for all of the roommates to be together to do the rest.</p>
<p>My son is putting all of the kitchen stuff in a box and his room stuff in another. His bathroom stuff is already in a rolling cart. That way we know what items go in which room. I have encouraged him to be organized to make it easier. It will be a hectic day already!</p>
<p>Last year we had a move-in time ( to temp park for 40 minutes in front of my son’s building ) of 10:00 am. We arrived at 8:00 am and the traffic was light getting in, and we parked in the lot next to Cerro Vista. Using a dolly we had him moved in by 9:00. Didn’t need the reservation. We left to get groceries and by the time we got back, the traffic to get into Cal Poly was bumper to bumper, backed up a couple of blocks at each entrance to the college. With all of the people walking around campus, the traffic moved extremely slow, as cars have to stop as people cross the streets on campus. For what it’ worth, even if you don’t plan on moving in until later, you might want to get on campus early to beat the traffic. They were not ticketing people who parked in the student lot next to Cerro Vista on move-in day.</p>
<p>hbparents^ Again, thank you for the great tips for move-in. I am sure that we will plan on going early. They are not doing the reservations this year.
How did it go with the other 4 roommates and their families? Were they there at the same time? Was it really crowded trying to move in 4 students?
Any advice or problems that we should know about?
Thanks!</p>
<p>One more question to hbparents. Was the dolly you used the 2-wheel type that you stack boxes on or the 4-wheel platform type of dolly. I have both. It would be nice to pack everything on the the 4-wheel platform but I’m not sure how practical that will be given the hills and elevators.</p>
<p>We had no problems moving in. It was crazy crowded but that made it fun. The problems were mainly the traffic getting in and out of the campus, and the parking after about 10:00 am. You will need a dolly, but either the upright or flat will work. As I mentioned, the elevators get a lot of use, but they have facilities workers helping, so you just have to be patient. Gives you time to chat with everyone moving in. The hill can be a work out if you have to park in the lot, but there are ramps up to each building, so you don’t have to pull your dollies up any steps if you don’t want to. By noon my son and his other roommates were mostly moved in, so we left them to unpack and settle in. Wanted to hang around, but it was not the right thing to do. Exciting and emotional.</p>