It's no secret the the Disney College Program is one of the most magical and fun experiences out there. Live, learn, and earn for a semester at Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Sounds like a way-too-perfect dream come true. But it's real. It exists. And here's how it's the experience of a lifetime:
1. You're in the spirit of permanent vacation - and so is everyone around you.
Don't get me wrong. Working at Walt Disney World or Disneyland will be hard work. A lot of hard work. It's no vacation. But after an eight-hour shift of scooping ice cream or welcoming people to the most magical place on earth, you get to take part in the fun for yourself and be one of the guests - for free! The sunshine state with its one season will trick you into thinking you're on summer vacation every weekend, but it's a vacation that lasts for four to eight months!
2. Did I mention entry to the parks is free?
That's right - free. And this includes the water parks during their off season as well. And you get guest passes and resort discounts for when your family and friends come to visit. Trust me, you're about to get a lot more popular!
3. You have all the time in the world to check off your Disney bucket list.
Want to meet Rafiki? Anna and Elsa? Ride Splash Mountain in the rain? Get chosen to be "that guy" at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor? Stay at a park from open to close? Visit all four parks in one day? Devour the Kitchen Sink? You can make all your Disney dreams come true and not have to squeeze them into one week!
4. Extensive training from what was named #2 of the Top 10 Companies Where Millennials Want to Work in 2015 by Forbes.
Traditions, operations training, location orientation, and on-site training. Disney makes sure Cast Members of every rank and position know their stuff, from basic job responsibilities to the history of the company, and everything in between.
5. Resume on fleek.
Remember all that training and hard work I just talked about? Disney on a resume is a big achievement and a major name drop. There's a reason it's one of the top companies millennials want to work for and there's a reason they hired you. Not to mention all the learning experiences you will have on the job that you can relay in that next big post-grad interview.
6. A million news friends.
A million new friends who also love Disney! DCP friends are hard-working, outgoing, and wonderfully supportive of dreams. They're also from all over the country and the world. Disney friends are easy to make because very few of them are actually from Orlando or Anaheim and are in the market for a new support system and group of people to explore the parks with!
7. Experience in the real world.
There's no cafeteria, no on-campus health clinic, and sometimes no car. (There are buses and a gym though!) For those of us intimidated by post-grad adult life, the Disney College Program is an excellent semester-long taste of what life will be like when college is over. The College Program is a full-time job. It's the real world - a very magical real world, though.
8. Roommates turn into family.
No one listens to you talk about your extra long shift on your feet all day better or better appreciates your story about a magical moment than your Disney roommates. It's very likely that you and your roommates will have similar values, goals, favorite movies, and weekend habits. Disney housing may put you with a party full of guys or girls, so you may not get along with everyone, but there's a very good chance that at least one or two of your apartment mates will become a life-long friend.
9. Coworkers turn into family.
Like I said, you will work a lot. The best part about this is that your coworkers will be way more than just your coworkers. They’re your crew, your squad, your team. You’ll make magic with them, learn with them, stress with them, and hang out with them on the daily. They will more than likely be the biggest and best part of your experience.
10. HOB and IHOP/Waffle House nights with the crew.
Nothing perfectly completes a long evening of work better than cheap, greasy breakfast food, especially at 2 a.m. with the whole squad digging in. And for the nights you’re not exhausted, House of Blue Orlando at Disney Springs is the best party around for CPs.
11. An endless list of fun places to go on nights and weekends off.
Disney Springs, Universal City Walk, Universal Studios (you get a Florida resident discount on season passes and you don’t want to miss Halloween Horror Nights), the Florida Mall, the Premium Outlet walking distance from Chatham and Patterson apartments, downtown Orlando, Sea World, and so much more! Orlando is your weekend vacation oyster.
12. Beaches are only an hour away.
Daytona, Cocoa, Clearwater. Some are a bit further but still totally doable for a day trip. A weekend in Miami is also doable. If you love the beach, Orlando is the perfect location because so many beaches are reachable from it!
13. You get to be an entertainer.
Regardless of whether or not you are a character performer, Disney Cast Members are always on stage, and guests are always watching. It’s so easy to make working for your favorite company with your favorite coworkers fun for you and the guests, whether you’re joking with a child as you set up for the three o’clock parade, scooping ice cream in an artistic way, doing the Cupid Shuffle for lifeguard change, or sprinkling some pixie dust on a little girl in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
14. You literally make magic.
Every location has a magic moment, and seeing a guest’s face when you hand them a free cupcake or let them sit in the front of a ride can really make both of your days. Sometimes you make magic in ways you never would have expected, like when your restaurant is fully booked on reservation so you bring out an ice cream sundae and balloons and personally sing "Happy Birthday" to a little boy who is looking dejected after his parents told him they would have to go someplace else. Disney is all about making memories with people, and the magic of that will keep you going every day.
15. It’s easy to come back and visit because a lot of your friends won’t leave.
Whether your friends were full time, part time, or extended their program because they didn’t want to leave, there’s a good chance you’ll have smiling faces to go back and visit! Some may even have spare passes for you to utilize so you can relive the magic again for free.
16. You’ll meet the most interesting guests.
My second week working at Disney, Hugh Jackman dined at my restaurant and I got to take him to his table. Not all of the coolest guests you meet will be celebrities, though. Some will be locals that recognize your face time after time and become your friends, or presidents of theatre companies that come to your resort every year to brainstorm ideas. Some may work for Universities in Scotland and give you their business card for grad school. A lot of guests are just friendly people who will want to know your life story for some reason. Pro tip: guests who come to Disney alone have the most interesting stories – make sure to talk to them.
17. You’ll learn all the secrets.
Most of these are really not so secret. But on the rest, my lips are sealed.
18. Backstage tours.
At least once on your program, sometimes twice if you do an Advantage program, your location will get the chance to go on a backstage tour of another ride or location. These are usually only for Cast Members and are incredibly cool.
19. No school!
Did I mention you don’t have to go to school? Of course, you can take Disney classes, online classes from your school, and sometimes earn internship credit at your school, but you’re in no way obliged to. Just focusing on the real world career experience is enough. Just one more way the Disney College Program is like a vacation with work.
20. Every single day will be magical in some way.
Sometimes it will be the guests. Sometimes it will be your coworkers and the shenanigans you get into backstage or after work. Other times it’s the parks themselves or the sheer tropical beauty and weather of central Florida. The Disney College Program taught me to appreciate people and experiences, to live in the moment, to work hard, and that all my dreams were possible with just a little bit of faith, trust, and of course, pixie dust.
Thank you.
Thank you to my roommates, my coworkers at Beaches 'n' Cream, my Yacht and Beach Club family, the random friends I met at the parks, the Cast Members who made magic for me, Disney World for existing, Walt Disney for dreaming big, and Mickey Mouse for being a great boss. I will never forget the amazing memories I made and things I learned from the Disney College Program Fall Advantage 2014.
