The unofficial disney college program blog

Anybody currently in WDW know for sure? Welcome to the DCP Blog! Please feel free to ask any questions and they will be answered to the best of our ability. So ever since I've heard about the internship i've wanted to do it, but I read the same reviews over and over on Glassdoor What do you recommend?

I don't know if you know the answer to this question or maybe one of your followers does Hypothetically speaking if you lived at Chatham but on the Patterson side, could you go swim in their pool because it would be closer than walking all the way to the Chatham pool?

My roommates and I are working on a puzzle on our dining room table. Although she appreciated the discounts and unlimited park access, her very favorite part was meeting new friends. Since the program, she has visited her former roommates and kept in contact with several coworkers. Oh, and her least favorite part you may ask? The day she had to leave! Her time at Disney made such an impact that it set Melissa down an unexpected career path. This past fall, she made the decision to return to college and obtain a degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism management.

She hopes to return for a professional internship at Walt Disney World in the Fall of and stay on as a manager in Food and Beverage. Do you know someone who has done the Disney College Program? How was their experience? Let me know in the comments! The Disney Skyliner has been a frequent conversation starter ever since it was announced back at the last D23 Expo. Today is the day that many have been waiting for! Guests who were looking to book dining and experience reservations for…. When she's not talking about the happiest place on earth, she spends her time entertaining her own little Minnie and Mickey Mouse.

You can find her on twitter AngelaDahlgren or via email - angela touringplans. Been going to WDW almost annually since I was 8. Was in the College Program at And personally, with no exaggeration, it was one of the single worse experiences of my life. It would be great if you actually provided details about why you hated it, and what made the experience so bad. Hopefully Disney has worked out the kinks since your experience.

Ive definitely heard that too. Especially those that do janitor all day. Its basically like but worse than working retail. I wonder how they decide who does what? I know some of it is based on your interests and some on your experience. Who knows? Like any experience anywhere, there will be positives and negatives.

Just go into it eyes wide open and remember these maxims: 1. The huge corporation with a phalanx of lawyers will always have the rules, guidelines, bylaws, costs and fine print written completely in their favor.

This includes pay, hours, assignments, roommates, transportation and even much of your free time. Zero incentive for Disney to care if you are unhappy. One of the reasons we all love to vacation at WDW is because the CMs work so very hard to make our vacation perfect.

Especially at WDW. I can imagine how hard it would be to separate work from play when you work at a popular vacation destination sight. I am with Richard, to an extent on this one! I am also a Disney fanatic and DVC member but my college program experience has serious ups and downs. I was a life guard on a floating dock and after almost 2 hours in the hot summer sun I passed out cold and when I finally came to my supervisor asked if I was ready to get back out there.

Like this girl, I too met some amazing people and had the most magical moment with a young guest that I will never forget- but working for them was brutal!

A: Classes are not a requirement for the Disney College Program, unless otherwise noted by your individual college while receiving credit for the program. Seminar style classes do not include homework and are only a couple of weeks long and may be taken just for experience or based on interest, while collegiate classes are offered for those who are looking for more regular coursework and to receive credit.

Exam proctoring and distance learning opportunities may also be available. I took a seminar class on Exploring Marketing and I loved it! Sure it took up a couple of hours on my days off, but it was totally worth it. Although I majored in history, I work in marketing now and this class was honestly what got me interested in this field. Q: Do you need to live in company sponsored housing? A: No, living in company sponsored housing is not a requirement.

CPs may opt to find their own housing, which may or may not be less expensive depending on a number of factors like roommates , location, amenities, transportation costs, etc… though many CPs choose to live in program housing as it can be easier than securing a short term lease on their own, and transportation to and from work is included in the rent.

Additionally, housing events take place for CPs, and many participants worry that by living off site they may miss out on some of the experience. There are lots of perks to staying outside of company housing, but if the Disney College Program is your first time away from home or a dorm room , I recommend staying in housing. Plus, Flamingo Crossings looks beautiful! Q: How many hours do CPs work? A: CPs work a minimum of 30 hours a week, but during peak seasons with overtime may work upwards of 60 hours.

It is difficult to predict exactly what your hours can be like because they really vary by role, location, and time of year, but a minimum of 30 hours per week should be expected. My friends who worked in Magic Kingdom , specifically in custodial averaged about 50 hours. It does really vary by role and location, but you usually have opportunities to pick up shifts or stay later if you want to, and you can always put in to ER early release during your shift and see if it gets approved.

Disney also pays overtime when you work over eight hours in a day, so you can make some extra cash by picking up an extra shift or trying to extend a shift on a given day. Q: What is the application process like? If they are selected to move on with the process, they will be asked to complete a web-based interview that is essentially a series of timed questions about their personalities and work habits.

Not all applicants are asked to move on with the process upon submitting the application, and there is no definitive way to know whether or not one will be selected to move on. Q: Are applicants randomly selected to move on to the web-based interview? A: No, Disney College Program recruiters have repeatedly stated on the official Disney Internships and Programs Blog that invitations to move on to the web-based interview are not given out randomly.

Each individual application determines whether or not you will be selected to move on, and Disney has never officially released information as to what pushes an application through to the web-based interview and what does not. If you are interested in applying for the program, fill out the application to the best of your ability and try not to compare your progress with the progress of others—everyone has a different experience while applying, and many applicants never share their experiences online.

Comparing your application to others may only end up causing you unnecessary stress. A: This just means that your application is still being reviewed. Q: How much does the program cost? These fees cover the cost of housing events and rent payments for the first couple of weeks of the program.

Q: How much does rent cost and how do you pay rent? Rent is deducted automatically from each paycheck, except for the first two weeks or so when rent is covered by the program fees. Q: Can time-off requests be accommodated? A: CPs may put in requests for time off from work, however requests are not guaranteed to be approved, and they depend on the availability of other cast members and business needs during the selected days.

CPs may swap shifts to change their days off if they only need to switch one or two days in a week. Q: When living in program housing, where does the included transportation go?

Bus schedules vary , and CPs may view a printed schedule or download a real-time mobile app, however it is suggested that they leave for work early to ensure that they arrive on time given that the buses can fall behind schedule and they make multiple stops. Q: When can I start going to the parks with my complimentary pass? A: The short answer is after Traditions the training every Cast Member must do before starting work.