*Quick Disclaimer that I am not in any way bragging, but that I am actually beyond humbled and grateful that I went through this amazing program’s process and that I got accepted! I am also not telling anyone that they should or should not apply, it’s just more of my perspective on what I went through as an applicant! These are tips and things that I wish I had known before applying and what to expect.*
Picture this: you just received word that you were accepted into a program that is based in Orlando, Florida, called the Disney College Program. “How is this even possible?” — you remember yelling at your laptop after hearing back from the company themselves. You read the words, “Congratulations and Welcome to Disney!” on your screen out loud in disbelief. You were one of thousands to get accepted into a prestigious program, yet you were unsure about whether or not to go and move to Orlando.
The Disney College Program is the kind of program where you get to work and live at Walt Disney World and attend all of the theme parks on your days off from work. What they do tell you — however — is to be excited and happy that you were even offered a spot after your horrendous phone interview.
Well, that’s exactly what happened to me. Yes, me. The writer of this article. There are things that I wish I had planned out before applying to the DCP; here is some advice I’d give to those who are planning on applying to the DCP.
There are things that you must consider before applying to the program and there are rules that you have to understand as well (one thing including the classic “look book” that Disney has.) Disney has a really strict policy on tattoos and how big or small they are allowed to be, where the tattoos themselves are located, and whether or not you should cover them. A lookbook is a book about the company’s expectations for how you should dress, act and smile, which of course is depending on whether or not the company itself allows any sort of permanent art on your body.
More information about the program itself and what my experience was like throughout the applicaiton process!
The DCP is not just extremely selective (according to Google, it has approximately a 20% acceptance rate). But, this program is definitely something that I wish I had known in previous years, before mid-semester of my junior year of college. After I was a transfer student from a college back home in North Carolina (Wilmington, not Chapel Hill), I never realized that a band member’s girlfriend would tell me to apply — whether I meant to actually go and attend the program in person itself or not.
For starters, the thing that you need to know is that you must be over the age of 18 years old, and that you must be a college student or a graduate of any college program. I am here to tell you all my story about how I got into this very competitive program; I strongly encourage everyone who is a Disney fanatic to think about applying. I am here to tell you that you should take chances that you never expect to hear back from — whether that’s a job opportunity for a certain job or company, interview, etc.
DCP is a program that is for not just college students, but also college graduates. This program is known to have thousands of applicants, so be prepared for a strong “no” just in case no one has told you yet.
For me, it took 30 minutes to hear back from Disney regarding a potential slot for a phone interview. (When I say this, I am not bragging, but mainly, I was really impressed with how quickly they got back to me regarding my scheduled phone interview).
I feel very fortunate to have been accepted to the program a week after my interview. But unfortunately, I had to say no for right now due to multiple things that could not work out for me personally.
Here are the issues: Disney does not tell you what job you are getting until after you accept the job offer and after you pay $500 upfront for your enrollment fee (not kidding and not exaggerating). That’s the number one issue I ran into for Disney — that, and my drive to Orlando from Athens, Ohio is a 16-hour drive one way.
That is something that you must be able to consider before applying — the potential for moving away that far (nine hours away from my home back in North Carolina is very scary and very long for me, because I was born and raised in Cary, NC.) Are you willing to be able to spend time working birthdays, holidays, vacations, etc.? Are you willing to move and relocate to Florida?
The DCP program has a ton of activities for employees, including perks such as 10%-off discounts, but you don’t really have the full free admission to the Disney Parks. My main thing is that one, if you have a disability, you should be aware that the Florida heat can be very hot to some degree. As someone with multiple sclerosis, working in the heat is something I personally must avoid at all costs due to me not being able to stand physically or mentally in the heat for very long. I have RRMS — a kind of relapsing multiple sclerosis that means that I am very sensitive in extreme temperatures, such as the heat and the cold.
I was diagnosed at the age of 17 years old, just days shy from my 18th birthday. I was my doctor’s youngest patient in the doctor’s office to have this condition.
In conclusion, a ‘pro’ is that the DCP is known to be extremely successful. One of the main ‘cons’ is that not all parents will be on board. My parents were not at all happy nor were they going to allow me to go live in Florida on my own — especially with the Florida heat and the expenses/cost of the program. Those are the main cons of being too far away from home and why I chose to try again later in my career.
I do have regrets turning them down, but I am definitely planning on reapplying in the near future once I am done with school!