Last August, I applied to the Disney College Program – an internship for college students and recent graduates to live and work at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. My program started in January and ends in August, and I have had so much fun in the time I have been here, and I can’t wait to see what the next three months will hold for me. Here’s what a (somewhat) typical week in my life looks like working at The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Monday: Today I worked from 5:30-11:30 pm. I work at the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party in Magic Kingdom – a separately ticketed event where guests can enjoy a buffet of desserts and drinks, and watch the fireworks from a reserved viewing area. One perk of working at this location is that I only work in the evenings since the earliest party starts about 3 hours before the evening fireworks show, Happily Ever After. My hours are very consistent, which cannot be said for most other locations at Disney World. This morning, I went to Cast Connections, a store exclusively for Disney cast members, offering discounted merchandise and food items. I bought a Mickey Mouse apron for $12.99 and a “Fantasia” mug for $7.99. After heading back to my apartment and having lunch, I headed to work. Today, I was working the stocker position. My main responsibility is plating the desserts and then during the parties, ensuring the buffet is always fully stocked.
Tuesday: When locations need more staff, they will deploy cast members from other locations. I was deployed to Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports today and worked from 11 am-5 pm. I have never worked here before, but the other cast members were very helpful in telling me where to go. I worked at a concession stand in the lobby of the fieldhouse, selling hot dogs, fries and pretzels. After my shift, I decided to have a solo evening at Magic Kingdom. One of the biggest perks of the Disney College Program is that we get free admission to all the parks. I still haven’t gotten used to being able to go to any Disney park at a moment’s notice. I watched Happily Ever After while riding the Peoplemover – a perfect way to end the night.
Wednesday: Since moving down to Florida, I decided to get a Universal Studios Annual Pass since Florida residents get discounts. In April and early May, passholders were able to purchase preview tickets to Universal’s Epic Universe theme park before its grand opening on May 22. I spent the entire day at Epic Universe with my brother, and it was just as amazing as I expected it to be. The lines were not that long since it is still in previews and not fully open to capacity, and we were able to ride almost everything.
Thursday: Since my shift only starts at 5:30 pm, I decided to take a bus to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to do some school work in the morning. Another perk of the Disney College Program is that there are free buses to every Disney park and resort, exclusively for program participants. I did not bring a car to Florida, and I have managed to get around perfectly with the buses. I’ve been to several Disney hotels trying to find the best study spots, and the second floor in Wilderness Lodge is my favorite so far. There are large desks with lamps and charger ports, as well as a fireplace with lounge chairs. It’s quiet enough to focus, but if you listen carefully, you can hear faint Western music from the lobby below, creating a perfect atmosphere for studying. Today, I was a seater at work. Seaters are responsible for, of course, seating guests to their tables, as well as bussing tables and cleaning the dining room after each party.
Friday: When I’m not in the mood to go to the parks, but I also don’t want to stay in my apartment all day before work, Disney Springs is my go-to spot. Disney Springs is an outdoor shopping complex with restaurants, stores and entertainment. There is an AMC movie theater at the complex, and today I went to see a matinee showing of “Hell of a Summer,” directed by Finn Wolfhard. It was a fun horror-comedy that pays homage to 80s and 90s slashers – a great directorial debut. After taking the bus back to my apartment, I had lunch and got ready for work. Today, I worked at the cookie table, a cookie decorating station with icings and sprinkles. The cookie table is catered towards younger guests, so it’s always fun to interact with the kids, learning what their favorite rides are and what they’re most excited to see during the fireworks. One of my favorite parts about working at the cookie table is that we’re encouraged to decorate plates with icing, to give guests an idea of what they can create.
Saturday: Every Wednesday through Sunday, there is a bus that goes from our housing complex to Walmart. Today, I took the bus to Walmart to do some grocery shopping. While there is a small Target walking distance from our housing, Walmart has a wider (and often cheaper) variety, so I prefer to do my shopping there. After my shopping trip, I got back to my apartment to do some meal prep before heading to work. Today, I was on the crepes position. At our dessert parties, we serve warm caramel apple crepes, and my responsibility is to fill the crepes with the apple filling and put them into a warmer before the parties start, and then during the parties, I serve them to guests, topping them off with crème anglaise, pecans and caramel drizzle.
Sunday: Today was one of my days off, but I decided to pick up a 7:30 pm-11:00 pm shift at Fantasmic, the nighttime stage show at Hollywood Studios. Food and beverage cast members have the opportunity to pick up shifts at different locations when they’re available, and it’s my goal to work at least one shift in all four Disney parks — so far, I’ve worked at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. I have never worked a Fantasmic shift before, so I was a bit nervous, but luckily, the other cast members were all incredibly friendly and understanding that it was my first time. I worked at one of the concession stands, serving food to guests. Fantasmic is one of my favorite shows in Disney World, so I’m glad I got the opportunity to work there!
Every week on the Disney College Program is different, and that’s what I love so much about it. Some weeks, I go to the parks every day before work, and others, I spend my free time baking and watching movies in my apartment. Whether you’ve considered participating in the Disney College Program before or this is your first time learning about it, I’d highly recommend applying once applications open up this summer. This is my first time living on my own – over a thousand miles away from home – and I’m proud of how much I’ve accomplished in the few months I’ve been here. I was scared to apply at first, knowing it would be such a huge step out of my comfort zone, but as Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”