Disney College Program
Disney College Program
If only I could convey in words how much this program means to me. I mean I'm going to try, but honestly this is one of those things that you really have to experience in order to understand. Let me just start by saying that this program changed my life! I am not even exaggerating!
When to Apply:
Let me break this picture down for you. So there are several times that you can work for the Disney College Program. Its pretty much Spring and Fall with a Spring Advantage and a Fall Advantage. Pretty much Spring and Fall both last for about four month. But if your in the advantage program then you end up staying and working longer. You can also change from just Spring and Fall to Advantage. The one rule though is that you can't work for a full year in a row.
Stages of Applying:
First you need to fill out their online application-
This application is just like any other application that you will fill out. There a couple of requirements though that you will not see on other applications. For example you have to make sure that you are in school for the semester before you apply.
I have thought about going back to school for a semester and taking random classes that don't mean anything to me just so that I can apply again. Haha.
Hit Apply!
At this point you will have put in your name, address, and which park you would rather work at. Some people don't make it past this part of the application process and that just means that you are not qualified to work for Disney either according to your past work experience or other things on your application like that.
Web Based Interview
If you've made it past the application process you will be sent a link that will send you to the Web Based Interview. These questions will ask you about how you would deal with different guests. Make sure to answer the questions honestly. This point of the application process a lot of people don't make it past so be aware of that.
Phone Interview
At the end of your web based interview you will set up a time to have your phone interview. I don't know maybe it was just me but when I had my phone interview my phone didn't even ring the first time. It went straight to voice mail and I looked down at my phone and saw that I had missed the call. I started freaking out, but luckily they called me right back.
Just remember to smile! I know I know that it's just a phone interview and they can't even see you, but believe me they will be able to hear if you are smiling or not.
Patience
You never know how long it's going to take before you find out if you got in or not. So just wait.
Housing:
There are four different housing complexes that you can live at at least in Florida which is where I went.
Vista Way
Vista Way is the first place that people think of if they have ever even heard of the Disney College Program. This is the place where all of the leftovers get placed. Let me explain. This is one of the lower housing complex that there is at the DCP (Disney College Program). There are ponds everywhere and several pools. Don't get me started on the rumors that come with the Vista Way hot tubs.
Chatham Square
I feel like Chatham Square is the place where everybody wants to live. That's probably why it get booked out so fast. I personally wanted to live here but all of the rooms were taken by the time I got up to the place where I got to pick where to live. It's just a nicer place and a little bit better looking.
The Commons
If I am remembering correctly and I believe that I am The Commons is where a lot of the international students live. I don't know why or how they all get put into The Commons but somehow they do.
Patterson Court
I don't know much about Patterson Court except we used to say that that's where all of the grandma's and grandpa's live and that it was very expensive.
Job Types:
There are so many types of jobs when it comes to working for the Disney College Program and I'm going to tell you right now that they are not all glamorous.
Attractions
This is just how it sounds. You get to push the button in order to get the rides to work. Usually they move your around from attraction to attraction. These are the Cast Members that my family when we are in the parks wave at and try to get to interact with us.
Food and Beverage
There are two categories when it comes to Food and Beverage. There is the Sit Down Restaurants and then there is Quick Service.
Sit Down
These are the restaurants that you usually have to make reservations for. Such as The Blue Bayou, Napa Rose, Be Our Guest and others like those. The workers there have many different roles as well. They can work the register, clean the tables, help you to sit down, and various cleaning jobs.
Quick Service
This was where I worked so I am going to try my hardest not to go on a tangent for too long. This is what I like to call Fast Food. We had to make sure that all of the guests got their food quickly. We cleaned tables and trashcans. We plated the food. We swept. We could work the registers. And on and on it went. The great thing was you never did one thing for the whole night. You were constantly moving around from place to place.
Custodial
This might not be the most glamorous job but somehow I was always jealous of my friends that worked it. Yes, you have to clean up after everyone which includes the bathrooms and yes I did hear disgusting stories from this job, but think about all of the Custodial Cast Members that you have ever met in the parks. They are so happy! They are the ones that I think make the most magical moments.
Front Desk
These are those that check you into your hotel and check you out. I currently work at hotels so I've been told that we are the face of the company. If things go wrong we're the ones the get blamed. But if things go right we're the ones you remember for that too.
Merchandise
We all know by now that I'm a Disney Freak!!! I cannot walk into a Disney Store without wanting to buy something. I think it would be so hard to work in merchandising and having to work in a Disney Store every day and not buy everything within the store.
Transportation
You get to drive the TRAM!!! Or be the voice of the Tram! Do you know how much fun that would be?!
Security
On my program we called these Blue Berries. They were the Cast Members that were normally in Blue. They are also the ones that get to follow around the characters and make sure that nothing crazy happens to them. Oh the stories I heard about characters and happenings around them.
Character
I hate to be the one to ruin the magic for you but there are several different Mickey's and Cinderella's and sometimes little College students are the ones that are dressed as your favorite character. This is also one of the jobs that you have to actually audition for. I had a roommate who was a character and it was kind of cool that at the end of my Program I got a note signed by all of her characters.
Perks:
First of all at the very beginning of your Disney College Program you get this little blue card that I called My Ticket to Paradise!
Being a Disney College Program kid is not all Mickey Bars and Wishes fireworks displays though. It's hard work! I cannot emphasize that enough. I cannot even tell you how many kids I met who did not understand why they couldn't be playing all of the time.
The hours are long and hard and the worst ones
You get paid next to nothing
You're pretty much just a temp so you can be canned at the drop of the hat.
Rooming situations are not always the best.
Would I do it again?:
YES!!! ONE HUNDRED TIMES YES!!! This was the hardest time of my life. I was homesick, pretty sure my bosses hated me half the time, my roommates were not my biggest fans, and honestly the list went on and on. But at the end of the day the goods out weighed the bads. I became friends with great people. I found out that working in hospitality was exactly where I wanted to be. And I learned a lot about myself. I loved it!
I know that this was a lot of information and honestly I left out a lot. Please feel free to ask any questions or if you've done the program share your experiences. And as always have a Magical Day!
When to Apply:
Stages of Applying:
First you need to fill out their online application-
This application is just like any other application that you will fill out. There a couple of requirements though that you will not see on other applications. For example you have to make sure that you are in school for the semester before you apply.
I have thought about going back to school for a semester and taking random classes that don't mean anything to me just so that I can apply again. Haha.
Hit Apply!
At this point you will have put in your name, address, and which park you would rather work at. Some people don't make it past this part of the application process and that just means that you are not qualified to work for Disney either according to your past work experience or other things on your application like that.
Web Based Interview
If you've made it past the application process you will be sent a link that will send you to the Web Based Interview. These questions will ask you about how you would deal with different guests. Make sure to answer the questions honestly. This point of the application process a lot of people don't make it past so be aware of that.
Phone Interview
At the end of your web based interview you will set up a time to have your phone interview. I don't know maybe it was just me but when I had my phone interview my phone didn't even ring the first time. It went straight to voice mail and I looked down at my phone and saw that I had missed the call. I started freaking out, but luckily they called me right back.
Just remember to smile! I know I know that it's just a phone interview and they can't even see you, but believe me they will be able to hear if you are smiling or not.
Patience
You never know how long it's going to take before you find out if you got in or not. So just wait.
There are four different housing complexes that you can live at at least in Florida which is where I went.
Vista Way
Vista Way is the first place that people think of if they have ever even heard of the Disney College Program. This is the place where all of the leftovers get placed. Let me explain. This is one of the lower housing complex that there is at the DCP (Disney College Program). There are ponds everywhere and several pools. Don't get me started on the rumors that come with the Vista Way hot tubs.
I feel like Chatham Square is the place where everybody wants to live. That's probably why it get booked out so fast. I personally wanted to live here but all of the rooms were taken by the time I got up to the place where I got to pick where to live. It's just a nicer place and a little bit better looking.
If I am remembering correctly and I believe that I am The Commons is where a lot of the international students live. I don't know why or how they all get put into The Commons but somehow they do.
I don't know much about Patterson Court except we used to say that that's where all of the grandma's and grandpa's live and that it was very expensive.
There are rooms of six people, four, and I think maybe three. If you're under 19 then you are put into a nonalcoholic room so no alcohol was allowed. If you were older you could pick to be placed in a nonalcoholic room or just a normal room. If you were put into a nonalcoholic room and alcohol was found the whole apartment would be sent home.
There are so many types of jobs when it comes to working for the Disney College Program and I'm going to tell you right now that they are not all glamorous.
Attractions
This is just how it sounds. You get to push the button in order to get the rides to work. Usually they move your around from attraction to attraction. These are the Cast Members that my family when we are in the parks wave at and try to get to interact with us.
Food and Beverage
There are two categories when it comes to Food and Beverage. There is the Sit Down Restaurants and then there is Quick Service.
Sit Down
These are the restaurants that you usually have to make reservations for. Such as The Blue Bayou, Napa Rose, Be Our Guest and others like those. The workers there have many different roles as well. They can work the register, clean the tables, help you to sit down, and various cleaning jobs.
Quick Service
This was where I worked so I am going to try my hardest not to go on a tangent for too long. This is what I like to call Fast Food. We had to make sure that all of the guests got their food quickly. We cleaned tables and trashcans. We plated the food. We swept. We could work the registers. And on and on it went. The great thing was you never did one thing for the whole night. You were constantly moving around from place to place.
Custodial
This might not be the most glamorous job but somehow I was always jealous of my friends that worked it. Yes, you have to clean up after everyone which includes the bathrooms and yes I did hear disgusting stories from this job, but think about all of the Custodial Cast Members that you have ever met in the parks. They are so happy! They are the ones that I think make the most magical moments.
Front Desk
These are those that check you into your hotel and check you out. I currently work at hotels so I've been told that we are the face of the company. If things go wrong we're the ones the get blamed. But if things go right we're the ones you remember for that too.
Merchandise
We all know by now that I'm a Disney Freak!!! I cannot walk into a Disney Store without wanting to buy something. I think it would be so hard to work in merchandising and having to work in a Disney Store every day and not buy everything within the store.
Transportation
You get to drive the TRAM!!! Or be the voice of the Tram! Do you know how much fun that would be?!
Security
On my program we called these Blue Berries. They were the Cast Members that were normally in Blue. They are also the ones that get to follow around the characters and make sure that nothing crazy happens to them. Oh the stories I heard about characters and happenings around them.
Character
I hate to be the one to ruin the magic for you but there are several different Mickey's and Cinderella's and sometimes little College students are the ones that are dressed as your favorite character. This is also one of the jobs that you have to actually audition for. I had a roommate who was a character and it was kind of cool that at the end of my Program I got a note signed by all of her characters.
Perks:
First of all at the very beginning of your Disney College Program you get this little blue card that I called My Ticket to Paradise!
This little Blue Card was what you used to clock in, but it was also what you used to get into the Parks for free on your days off. It's what you used to get discounts at the different Disney Stores. Heck this was the card you showed at random businesses around Orlando to get a discount. It was a little bit of everything.
Let me break that down for you again in a list:
Get into the Parks for Free!!!
Discounts in the Disney Stores!
Discounts randomly around Orlando.
And another plus is no matter where you go in life you can now put Disney on your application.
Downfalls:Being a Disney College Program kid is not all Mickey Bars and Wishes fireworks displays though. It's hard work! I cannot emphasize that enough. I cannot even tell you how many kids I met who did not understand why they couldn't be playing all of the time.
The hours are long and hard and the worst ones
You get paid next to nothing
You're pretty much just a temp so you can be canned at the drop of the hat.
Rooming situations are not always the best.
Would I do it again?:
YES!!! ONE HUNDRED TIMES YES!!! This was the hardest time of my life. I was homesick, pretty sure my bosses hated me half the time, my roommates were not my biggest fans, and honestly the list went on and on. But at the end of the day the goods out weighed the bads. I became friends with great people. I found out that working in hospitality was exactly where I wanted to be. And I learned a lot about myself. I loved it!
I know that this was a lot of information and honestly I left out a lot. Please feel free to ask any questions or if you've done the program share your experiences. And as always have a Magical Day!
Wow lots of information there....
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