Tell All: Disney Programs
For those of you who don’t know, I’m currently a professional intern at Walt Disney World Resort and a Disney College Program Alumni.
I completed my Disney College Program in Spring 2017 where I spent my days selling bubble wands and glow toys in Magic Kingdom park. Now I find myself in a bit of a different experience working as a communications intern in a little cubicle in an office off property.
I get so many questions about both of these experiences. So, let’s dive deep into the most commonly asked ones.
How do I apply?: To apply to both the DCP and PI roles visit disneyinterns.com. Here you’ll find pages and pages of potential opportunities. To be honest, it can be very overwhelming.
If you’re looking to pursue the Disney College Program application, you’re in luck! There is only one general application. Within that, you will determine your top areas of interest for possible roles. My advice is to indicate as much interest as possible in any role that fascinates you. While they consider your interest level they typically will try their best to match you with something that you already have experience in. I was placed in Merchandise because I had plenty of retail experience prior.
For PI’s it’s a little bit more complicated. You must apply individually for each role that you hope to be considered for. This gets tricky. I applied for around 30 PI’s – each application complete with a customized resume and cover letter. Now that may sound a bit excessive to some, but I knew I wanted this that bad. All in all, it was a time-consuming process but definitely worth it.
Which PI’s should I apply for?: This is a tough question. For some people, they have their one dream role, give it their best shot and come out very lucky. As I mentioned, I was not that person. I applied to dozens just because I wanted a foot in the door with the company and knew I was willing to do anything for it. Looking back, I should have been a bit more selective. I applied to basically anything that I felt qualified for – PR, communications, social media, Guest Relations, etc. but if I were to do it all again, I would read through each description and only apply to the ones that made me excited to go to work every day.
Disney is tricky too, because sometimes the names of the role do not align with what you would expect the responsibilities to be based off of the name alone. Look deep into the descriptions and see if you can imagine yourself doing the job well and being happy doing it. If you check off those two boxes GO FOR IT!
Is it hard to find a program related to your major?: NO! Disney has hundreds, if not thousands of programs. There is definitely something for everyone. There are a lot more options and career-oriented opportunities within the Professional Internships but Disney College Program roles are also great stepping stones and offer valuable Guest-facing experiences. A lot of people will do a DCP and use that opportunity to have meet and greets and get a better idea of what they would like to do after.
Does Disney pay for your housing?: Disney does not pay for housing for participants on either program. However, you can opt-in to the Housing portion of the program and your rent will be deducted from your paycheck automatically – this is a huge bonus. These apartment options come furnished. To be honest, you overpay to share a room with someone but there are a ton of positive aspects to it.
Disney offers College Program housing options in four (No. five coming soon!) apartment complexes. These complexes are specifically for DCP participants, so you’ll be living with people all in the same boat as you! This is super convenient because you can make friends very easily, carpool to work or take the provided busses. There are also plenty of fun events that take place at the Disney Housing complexes. Like I said, convenience is key when you live here.
For PI’s, Disney rents through a third party. You are placed in an apartment at Falcon Square in a neighborhood called Independence in Winter Garden. You live with all the other PI’s who opt-in to Disney Housing but also regular people who live in this neighborhood. All PI’s aren’t placed in the same building, so you may have neighbors from your program or you may have regular people who just choose to live here.
With that being said, you can try to find your own place and rent on your own at Falcon Square. You’ll still live with the majority of interns, save money and have your own bedroom. It just won’t come furnished if you rent on your own. It’s still a nice and convenient housing option, as well as an easy way of getting to know people, but not as convenient as DCP housing.
Is it worth it?: Yes! In my opinion (and basically everyone I know that did one) loves the Disney Programs! Whether you choose to stay with the company and make Disney your career, return home to finish school or explore totally new options, you will not regret your time spent at your program!
You meet amazing people, gain experience working for one of the most innovative and well-known companies in the world and hell, the best part –
you get to go to the parks for free as much as humanly possible.
Even if you decide working at Disney is not for you, you have an end date in sight and it will teach you what you don’t like which could be more valuable than discovering what you do like.
I have loved both of my programs and have had the best experiences here. Yes, it’s challenging to balance work and play and yes, even working at Disney you have bad days. But overall, the memories, the friendships and the magic outweigh all of the negatives.
