Information Regarding the Dinsey College Program

I figured I would offer some general information on the Disney College Program. This post is going to have a ton of information, but don’t be scared away by it all! If you have any questions, feel free to let me know in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer them!

What is the Disney College Program?

The Disney College Program (or DCP) is an internship for students who are, at the time of application, enrolled in college and have a desire to work at Walt Disney World. This program is comprised of three major components: living, learning, and earning. The DCP provides housing for their participants, offers them both classes and seminars that may be able to count for credit at their home college, and allows students to become Walt Disney World Cast Members, or employees, while supplying compensation for their work.

What will I be doing in the Disney College Program?

            There are many different roles in the DCP. Each role has it’s advantages and disadvantages and is magical in its own way. While you can note your preferences of role and location in your interview, you are not guaranteed one of your top choices if accepted. A word to the wise: Before requesting a job in Magic Kingdom, take into consideration that there are some nights each season that Magic Kingdom does not close until 3 AM.

·      Operations

o   Attractions – here you have the opportunity to help run one of the rides or shows. This job may include greeting at the front of the ride, loading and unloading guests, listing safety instructions, or operating the attraction

o   Custodial – the cleaning crew at the parks. While often seen as an undesirable role, many custodial cast members choose this job as their first choice because it is the job with the most freedom to walk around the parks.

o   Transportation – this job may include greeting guests in the parking lots, directing traffic, or transporting guests by driving a Walt Disney World vehicle

o   Photopass Photographer – here, cast members take pictures of guests throughout the property, most often at one of the parks. It is recommended, but not required, that they have some photography experience

o   Main Entrance Operations – these cast members greet guests as they enter the parks and also scan their tickets

·      Lodging

o   Bell Services – these cast members help guests with their bags, whether dropping off early in the morning to hit the parks before check-in, or arriving late at night

o   Concierge – here, a cast member will be available to answer all questions and help make reservations for guests. This role is extremely competitive, but the highest paying in the program.

o   Hospitality – my role! I will be helping check-in guests at the resorts as well as dealing with any problems that may arise throughout their visit

o   Housekeeping – affectionately called “mousekeeping”, these cast members clean the hotel rooms and restock any items the guests may have used

·      Food and Beverage

o   Full-service: these cast members work at table-service, or sit down, food locations and check in guests for their reservations or are waitstaff

o   Quick-service: here, cast members work a quick-service, or fast food, locations and take orders as well as prepare and deliver the food

·      Retail/Sales

o   Bibbity Bobbity Boutique/Pirate’s League: cast members in this role are often called Fairy God Mothers and through make-up, hairstyling, and costumes, transform young guests into a prince, princess, or pirate. This role is also extremely competitive. If listing this role as a top choice and have any experience in hair or make-up, be sure to mention it.

o   Merchandise: These cast members are sales associates and cashiers in one of the many, many stores and gift shops on property

o   Vacation Planner: Cast members in this role are placed at the front of a park and sell tickets to guests

·      Recreation

o   Lifeguard: These cast members are placed at either a resort or one of Disney’s water parks

o   Recreation: Here, cast members lead games and events with the guests and supervise other outdoor activities

·      Entertainment

o   Character Attendant: Cast members in this role spend the day with the characters, giving information about meet-and-greets, as well as supervising interactions

o   Character Performer: In order to become a character performer, or one of the characters, you must pass an audition before arriving to Walt Disney World. There are many auditions throughout the country

o   Costuming: This role provides the least guest interaction, as cast members spend their time organizing and managing cast member uniforms

How Do I apply for the Disney College Program?

The first step in the application process is to fill out the application that can be found on the DCP website. This is similar to a normal application, and asks about schooling and job experience. You do not need to provide a resume to apply for the Disney College Program, all of the information is provided in the first online form. In this step, you will also be asked your level of interest in each role. Be honest, if you know you would be miserable in a certain role, don’t say you have high interest. Many people get into the program even though they only have interest in one role, while others are not considered even though they expressed interest in every available role.

If you are asked to move forward in the process, you will then complete the Web-Based Interview (WBI). This is a questionnaire, intended to discover if your personality meshes with that of a Disney Employee. The WBI is timed, and most questions are phrased in a way that asks you to agree or disagree with them. For instance, the questionnaire may say, “I am always a positive person”, and you will have the option to chose “I strongly agree, I agree, Neutral, I disagree, or I strongly dissagree”. One tip that I read often online was to limit neutral and even mild responses. Try as often as possible to choose the stronger responses, such as strongly agree/disagree. However, the most important thing to remember when WBI is to always be honest. The questions aren’t there to trick you, the recruiters just want to make sure that you will fit in the program. Take your time, but don’t stress too much over the WBI, because most of the control is out of your hands. As soon as you complete the WBI, you will know if you’ve made it to the final step. One tip I would suggest is to take the WBI in the morning, that way if you pass, you have a full three days to schedule your phone interview, rather than the two I ended up having to choose from.

If you passed, it will now be time to schedule your phone interview. Be sure to pick a time that you will have the ability to be alone and be prepared to answer your phone at least fifteen minutes before or after your scheduled interview time. The interview should take no more than half an hour, so you should have an hour blocked off in case the interviewer is running early or late. During the interview, you’ll be asked both general questions about your interest in the DCP and questions regarding your top role preferences. A very helpful list of possible interview questions can be found here. It is best to practice the interview with either parents or friends, as well as have an idea of what some of your answers will be. Practice smiling, because even over the phone, it is obvious if you’re smiling or not. Also, try to ask at least one question at the end of the interview, because it shows that you are paying attention and interested in the program.

After these steps, all you can do is wait, wait, wait, and wait some more for their decision!

Whew, that was a lot of information! I hope all this has been of some help and interest to someone. I just love talking about the DCP; I could go on forever. But I’ll sign off for now!

Wishing you a Magical Day!