Shutterstock
Ever wanted to basically live in Walt Disney World? Disneyland? The Disney College Program gives you the opportunity to take college to the happiest and most magical places on earth! Applications for Spring 2019 opened on August 20th.
What is the Disney College Program?
The Disney College Program (DCP or CP) is an internship like no other. To participate, you must be in at least your second semester of college (you can participate as a freshman, just not a first semester freshman) or within a 6-month period post-graduation.
It is not just limited to undergraduate college students, either! You can be in any stage of college, pursuing any degree! There are two main kinds of programs – advantage and regular.
Advantage programs last an entire semester and a couple of months. Regular programs just last the semester. As the close of a program draws near, participants may be offered the opportunity to extend their program. A Disney College Program can last up to a year, if the participant chooses and is allowed to extend.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtdXbPFnYE/?tagged=disneycollegeprogram
Personally, the Disney College Program was a life changing experience. I learned so many valuable lessons and the program plays an instrumental role in my professional life today.
I completed my college program in the Spring of 2016. At that point in my life, I was a junior in college at the University of Southern Mississippi pursuing a degree in elementary education. I had previously applied for the DCP Spring 2014, which would’ve been my second semester of my freshman year of college. I was accepted as a lifeguard and really should have accepted the offer. I declined.
I declined because I had a terrible roommate who was banking on me getting accepted so she could have the room to herself. I wanted to get her back for the hell she had put me through, so I declined.
Later in college, I applied again, on a whim. I got accepted and this time, I accepted. I was going to lifeguard at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmmfDQOA3X6/?tagged=disneycollegeprogram
I chose to live in Disney Housing, which is basically Disney owned apartment style dorms for interns. They really are a hybrid between dorms and apartments. They are like an apartment in that they all have kitchens and living rooms and each bedroom has its own bathroom. They are like a dorm in that there are a lot of rules and you are required to have roommates unless you have a medical exemption.
I lived in a three bedroom three bath apartment with five other girls. This was its own kind of roller coaster. It was a massive learning experience to live in close quarters with that many diverse people. All in all, we had a good time together. To this day, one of my best friends in the whole world was one of those roommates.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEnKTZlkolf/?hl=en&taken-by=amberbritain
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBXtmUAEolA/?hl=en&taken-by=amberbritain
The Disney College Program is the definition of “work hard, play harder.”
Many of the participants are taking classes, either online with their university or through Disney University (DU), though not required. DU offers a variety of classes and seminars, primarily geared towards hospitality/tourism and related majors. You can be pursuing any major and still take DU classes, though. On top of taking classes, participants are working between 30-40 hours a week. During peak times, participants may be working overtime. Thankfully, it is a paid internship.
Somehow, even with many taking classes and working basically full-time, college program participants still find time to go out and have a good time. There is so much to do in California and Florida! Going to the parks or Disney Springs are always an option and Disney Housing also provides events for program participants. They provide smaller events several times throughout the semesters such as; grocery bingo, pool parties, craft events, day trips, etc. They also provide two big events per semester.
In the fall you’ll see the Night of Stars talent show and a formal dance. In the spring the events are the Night of Stars talent show and the Starlit Splash at one of the water parks. Disney Housing also puts on the end-of-program service celebrations a.k.a. graduation. Non-Disney things to do include beaches less than two hours away, shopping, Universal Studios, Sea World and an assortment of restaurants and bars. There is even a ‘party bus’ that visits CP housing and will take participants to nightlife spots for a nominal fee.
Some people even take trips across the country and use their discounts to visit the other Disney properties- Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach and either Disneyland or Disney World (depending on where your program takes place).
During my program, we did everything from the parks, to beach trips, to bars. Disney housing is right off I-Drive, so we had direct access to a lot of amenities. I would give just about anything to be able to grab my roommate, head to 7-11 and get a giant soda, go get pedicures and head to Disney Springs right about now.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGGWAPxEoh-/?taken-by=amberbritain
Disney provides awesome perks to college program participants.
There are many perks to take advantage of during the program. You get free entry to the parks, which is huge. There are also discounts on almost everything. I bought so much Disney merchandise that Disney might as well have withheld my paychecks because they were going straight back to the company anyway.
My favorite place on Disney property is a perk offered to employees – Mickey’s Retreat. It is a lake-side park where Disney employees, friends and family can spend time, play and relax. I spent many afternoons hanging around in my Eno by the lake. Mickey’s retreat has amenities like a pool, sand volleyball, sports fields, playgrounds and rentals (kayaks, paddle boards, sports equipment, etc).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEPCB4JkotW/?hl=en&taken-by=amberbritain
Disney also offers free passes for friends and family. These are earned by hours worked at various benchmarks. You get three parkhopper tickets each time you hit a benchmark. This perk is awesome because it can be combined with the 40% of resort stays for friends and family. It’s a great way to have friends or family come and visit while you are on the program!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD4uSFskoj5/?taken-by=amberbritain
Aside from work shifts, Disney would schedule participants for classes and professional development opportunities. At least once, though often more, Disney tries to get program participants scheduled for a networking event. This is a great way to meet important people and gain connections within Disney. You never know who you may meet that could play an instrumental role in your future.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmvvDsqAIpJ/?hl=en&tagged=disneycasting
One of the biggest perks, though not really a perk until after the program, is that the DCP is an amazing resume builder. The Disney College Program gives you the opportunity to work for a Fortune 100 company. Disney’s core values and training are world renowned and even if the job completed was just your average custodian position, because it happened at Disney, with Disney standards and Disney training, it will take your resume to a whole new world. Many of the job opportunities that I have received, in the two years since my program ended, have been because I have “Disney experience.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDSLFNGEomr/?taken-by=amberbritain
Disney shaped me into the person I am today.
After I completed my program, I realized I no longer wanted to pursue a degree in elementary education. Disney was not my first lifeguarding experience, but they did give me many of the tools I needed to further my career in parks and recreation. Disney helped me grow my passion for the aquatics field.
After Disney, I was promoted to a head guard at my facility back home. After Disney, I was able to get a pool manager position with a management company. After even more experience, I was able to get an aquatics manager position with a small rural municipality. Continuing to follow my Disney-grown passion, I am currently in a job that is more fulfilling than I could’ve ever imagined. I do not believe that I would be in this place today, had it not been for the Disney College Program.
As a manager, I set the bar high. As an employee, I put my best foot forward in everything I do. As a human, I remember that magic is everywhere and everything can be the best if you make the best of it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFbywQRkoj3/?taken-by=amberbritain
All in all, the Disney College Program is an experience that will never be forgotten. I met one of my best friends there and it has been instrumental in my professional development. I know people who met their spouses in the college program. Some people move to the area and never look back. Even if none of those things happen, the lessons learned from Disney and the college program are priceless and irreplaceable. You can take the girl out of Disney, but you can never take the Disney out of the girl.
