Disney Internships/Disney College Program
 

Has anyone done this or known anyone who has? If so, what did you go for? I'm thinking of going for Radio Communications. If anyone was in that program, how was it? Also... What was your cast position? Thanks!

A thread that already exists

I know it's extremely hard to get one of the advanced internships unless you've served your slave labor time.

I did it. Not sure how I did it, but I did. :)

I'll be flying to Orlando this Thursday to visit two of our students who are in the Disney College Program. They both love working at Disney. In fact, I'll be spending most of my time convincing them to come back to Ohio. LOL

Facts about the Disney Program--

Most students end up dropping out of their college to attend community college, UCF, Rollins or Stetson Colleges in order to stay in Orlando. Or they drop out of school entirely. The place just sucks you in.

You're going to be doing a lot of menial labor and very little effective internship things. You have to put in your time.

The roach-infested love nest where you will be living, Vista Way, is affectionately nicknamed "Vista LAY" by the locals because of all the interns hooking up with each other.

There are pros and cons. It can be a life-changing experience. But from what I've seen and heard, Disney gets the better deal out of the program.

I had a pledge sister who went and did this program. She never came back and no one has heard from her since. (that was going on 6 years ago)

It sounds cult-like.

From what I hear, it is very cult like. There's an article in a small publication, Radar Magazine, in the Summer 2005 issue that talks about work life at Disney. Very interesting.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Don't tell me that! :(
Now I'll have to make sure my girls come back!

It's a very strange place. The people are nice, don't get me wrong, but few of those who attended a Central Florida school finish that school if they get sucked into an hourly theme park job. The park people tend to become their best friends, they move to the other side of town and even though the parks brag about their tuition reimbursement program, those who do use it can take 8 years to get through a traditional 4-year program.

I got a marketing internship with one of the parks before I graduated and I ended up working there for 1.5 years. I saw plenty of students who came from either the Orlando colleges or came for the summer to intern or work at any of the parks... some went home, many stayed and transferred to an Orlando school... or they just "postponed" college and partied the days away, sleeping off their hangovers in time to make it to the park to peddle balloons or flip burgers.

Only the strong make it out!

Vista Way cast members:

link

another person who worked there

It is. From the HR issued "Look Book" (a manual detailing acceptable cast member appearance) to the "Traditions" class (or, Why Disney Is Great 101), it's all about conformity and loving the mouse. Sure, I had a great time while there - I actually enjoyed my job, liked most of my roommates, and got a killer tan - but I always saw Disney for what it is...a Fortune 100 company whose primary aim is not to make "dreams come true" or some bs like that, but rather, to make money. It's amazing how many people don't realize that and fall into the Disney trap hook, line, and sinker.

I mean, this kinda sucks... it sounded really really iffy to me. I want to go, so I can *hopefully* become a DJ for Radio Disney. I don't want to work a full 40 hour week in the park. I wanna work in the radio station. I mean, I would even do it for little to no pay. I just want a great internship. It sounded great at first, now it just sounds like hell the more and more I hear about it. I was reading over the "requirements" and you can't wear jeans to class? You have to follow their dress code, who the hell cares what you wear to class? and the thing about covering all my tattoos and piercings is rediculous. It's not like I have a hundred of them either. I have 2 tattoos, only one being visible (on my wrist) and it is tasteful... granted I have 7 piercings, 4 in the ears, nose, tongue and labret, but I wear little diamonds and just a plain metal bar in my tongue. It's my style and it looks very tasteful and clean, but god forbid someone who looks a little different. What is the point of conformity here? The whole point is to go there to get educated, not to learn to conform. Conformity is dead. That just kinda upset me.

If you really want a radio internship, I'd look at a local radio station. You're not going to find what you want at Disney.

Sadly, it is alive and well. I can tell you that if you work at any Orlando park, you will have to take out your piercings and cover up your body art, no matter what. These are family-oriented parks and all employees must project a standard image. When I worked for one of the parks, there were standards for men and women whether you worked in the park or in the professional offices-- men's hair had to be kept at a standard length, no earrings. Women were not allowed to wear open toed shoes, you were limited on how much jewlery was permitted (one ring per hand; your wedding set would count as one ring for your left hand of course), etc.

I agree with RedRose--- you'd be better suited to getting a radio internship locally. Also, get a student membership to a professional society-- go to their luncheons and functions to meet people in the industry-- personal connections are the best way to get a job. Good luck!

As an aside, I don't think that those policies are limited to Disney parks. I worked for an amusement park after my freshman year of college, and that park had similar rules. In addition, I have friends who worked at other parks, and it seems they had similar experiences.

Me, too! One of my sorority sisters did the Disney internship thing, and though she would insist that she was coming back for good whenever she'd come visit, she never came back to college again. It's like she just...disappeared. :( Scary, seriously.

Two of the brothers from my APO chapter did it and returned. One of them was a pledge brother of mine and he was ambivalent on it. He was HRIM so it wouldn't look too badly on his resume but he didn't do much that would be great experience. Frankly, he was happy to be back at PSU when it was over and done with.

Re: Disney Internships/Disney College Program
 

I don't know all of the details, but I know someone that is doing one right now. She says she loves it.

Hey, Do you know what goes on n the phone interview and what I should prepare myself for?

My cousin did it during her college years, and she went make to school in Arizona; however, her dad lived in Orlando so it was more of a close summer job so she could visit her dad.

I had another friend do it, and she hated it. Because she was an elementary major they basically assigned her to babysitting, and she detested it. Long hours and little to no pay.

Yeah, that's about what I heard. The only person I know who liked it was a collegiate golfer who essentially got to play golf the whole summer with VIPs. It was still long hours and low pay, but he was at least doing something fun.

I had two friends who had the internship. One got a nice placement in the park her second summer when she went back, left at the end of her term, and now has a nice job elsewhere. The other friend was a girl who shared a pledge kid with me (pledge kids are expensive so I'm glad she wanted to share!). Upon graduation, she went to Disney. We never saw her since.

Does anyone have any new experiences to report?

Well, the big news is that men are now allowed to have well groomed FACIAL HAIR!!!

The next thing you know Goofy and Clarabelle are gonna be gettin' it on right in the middle of the park. :p

My daughter did 2 internships back to back at the Animal Kingdom. She learned A LOT. Since she moved to Orlando and her boyfriend already lived there, he found her an apartment which was not Disney housing. She was very happy to not be Disney 24/7 and to have her own life. Unfortunately, the second internship was in management and she learned so much that she was more than qualified for several of the permanent full time position that opened up. When they hired some outside person who was a flake and had her train the person (you are not qualified for the job but qualified to train your boss), she and BF decided it was time to leave. She finished out her temporary full time position and then left for Boston in April where they are both much happier. Neither of them liked Orlando.

My daughter actually did the internship after graduation so she did not drop out of school following her internship. She is now planning to go back to get her Master's.

YIKES this thread freaked me out a tad. My fiance's sister is doing the Disney internship next year (I think).

My sister did it years ago, and she DID return to college. I think she would also tell you it was one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences of her life (up until getting married and having kids I suppose). Attending the Disney College of Knowledge taught her a lot about how to search for a job practically and professionally. For instance, when Disney tells you to get the cutesy crap off your voicemail, I'd say that's advice worth following.

On the other hand, it is a bit cult-like and I think a person should go in with that in mind. There is also a ridiculous amount of partying (sex, she didn't mention drugs to older sister, but it was kind of implied) at Vista Way. It's kind of like 3 months of spring break, except you have to get up and go to work every day. She worked in a store at MGM studios.

My husband was in the All-American Marching Band and he also has amazing stories to tell. He did NOT go back to college, but that's less about Disney and more about his utter lack of motivation to show up to class. He didn't stay in Orlando but came back to the Midwest to start his life as a rock star.

I would say if a person has the opportunity to do it, they should! But be aware of the potential to get sucked in to a life of near minimum wage and practically living in dorms the rest of your life.

I have 3 or 4 friends who have done it. All returned to school, but at least 2 (maybe 3) have returned or plan to return to Orlando post graduation. One is currently in management training, another is doing character work.

I know this is a super-old post, but this doesn't surprise me at all. I grew up on the Panhandle and the kids who went to UCF were typically those who wanted to do something in sports management or performing arts (but not music--music kids to to FSU), and they got stuck in the entertainment lifestyle and didn't finish.

I have 2 friends who have participated in the program. One just finished a couple weeks ago, and he's had a good time, but he's ready to go back to school. He had a great experience, but he knew it wasn't going to last forever.. nor did he want it to.

On the other hand, my other friend entered the program, dropped out of college (she was going to school in NH), and now 5 years later, she's still there. I just saw her recently, and she's obsessed with all things Disney. I mean.. OBSESSED. All she does is talk about Mickey, and the ghost stories of each ride, and she wants every piece of Disney merchandise ever created. I think her maturity level has actually gone down over the years. It's unreal.

We had worked at an amusement park in NH during college summers, and it's like she never got away from it. I moved on.. I moved to a different state, I have a real job, grown up friends, a social life.. and she's still talking about covering lunch breaks on the roller coaster and complaining about teenagers being lazy, and her hourly pay isn't much more than we were making back then.

I like going to Disney World once in a blue moon, but I'm not insane about it. People take it waaay too seriously. I had to work in Orlando last year, and in that office, there was this one woman who had a cubicle filled with Disney stuff. When I started my training class, I went around the room and asked people their name, their job role, and something fun to do in the area. One girl said, ".. and of course there's Disney World, but who wants to go there?" .. she obviously didn't like it too much. Then crazy woman piped up and said, "How dare you talk about Disney like that!" and they legitimately almost got in a fight in the middle of class. The girl was like "Hey, I just don't like it, no big deal," and crazy woman was acting completely irrationally and flipping out about it. Like.. uh.. it's not that serious!

It's amazing what Disney can do to some people.

One of ours is strongly considering the program for next fall and I'd like to know if there's any new feedback in addition to what we have here. They wanted her to come in March and be there until December but that would mean she couldn't go to school in the spring. Not good!

I have this feeling that even though they're saying they want her to perform, she'll end up with stroller duty. Can you imagine getting college credit for that?

My daughter did a Disney internship. She applied while she was still in school but actually went to work after graduation. She loved the internship. She was in the Wild Animal Kingdom. Her first internship she led talks on the animals and the environment. Her second internship was working directly with coordinators which lead to a temporary full time job as a coordinator. She hated Orlando and after 2 1/2 years she and her boyfriend could not pack the truck fast enough to get out of there.

She did not live in the intern housing. She had her own apartment so she was able to separate her social life from her business life.

A friend of mine was a college recruiter until she had her kidlets. She said that when she would go through resumes, greek life and Disney internships were given priority. If you were Greek AND Disney on your resume you would go directly to the top of the pile as you proved you had leadership skills and were willing to give your all to the job.

DaffyKD

I think a lot of internships turn out like that. A sister of mine had an internship at a KMart-like store where she was supposed to be doing managerial stuff and all she ended up doing was run the register. At least at Disney you're doing it in sunshiny weather.

My SIL is doing this right now! I have no idea how the process works for someone who is interested in the entertainment side, so I don't know if she really would end up being able to perform. It seems like it's totally possible--I haven't been to Disney in years but it seems like there's lots of opportunity for performers (sure you may not be a princess on day one...lol)

My SIL is a business student. As far as I know she is doing food service. She definitely knew that going into it though, but she has just wanted to do this for years, so it didn't bother her.

She seems a little homesick, which I'm actually relieved to hear, because based on what I heard (I guess mostly from this thread) it can really suck you in...

Mr. LP and I have to make time to Skype with her for a bit one of these days, so I'll let you know more details if I get them!

Spring Break my senior year of college my friend and I went and tried out to be a Disney character. We both made it ('cause we're both tiny) but neither of us ended up doing it. I really thought about it, because I was graduating with no job on the horizon, but I dislike Florida, heat, children, and tourists, so I decided it probably wasn't right for me. Plus I was kind of over my partying stage. I think I made the right decision. The tryouts were a trip, though!

My youngest daughter,17, is 4'5" and won't be growing any more. Maybe she'd have a good shot at a character slot! What do they do at character tryouts?

It's the tryouts for every position--princess, prince, dancer, or "character" (which are the fuzzy ones with the giant heads. They pretty much have to be under 5' or over 6'. Princes and Princesses are usually around 5'7" or 5'8").

First, we had to perform a dance. if you're not a really amazing dancer, it's better to ham it up and embrace your mistakes than do a passable but intense performance. It's a pretty simple dance, but they're looking for attitude unless you're actually trying out to be a dancer. This is where the biggest cuts happen, and many people who were much better dancers than me got cut here because I was so obviously silly (I was continually facing the wrong direction, had my hands up when they should have been down, etc, but just laughed through it). My friend was a cheerleader and her cheer-smile got her through (plus she was a much better dancer). But basically just have fun instead of stressing about getting the moves right.

After the dance tryout, they separated us into several groups--dancers went somewhere else, and the rest of us had to do a cartoon charade to music. Again, ham it up. The princes and princesses got pulled out again, and a few more people were let go and then we got taken back and offered the job. The whole thing took a few hours. One of the girls who got offered a job with us was a midget who basically just worked cons and amusement parks year round.

One other thing is that unless you're a princess, you're not a specific character--you might be Mrs. Potts one day and Mickey the next.

A very dear sister of mine dropped everything - a state beauty pageant title, a guaranteed stint in her most desirable job position at her current level of expertise with a potential boss who let's say is beyond lenegendary, as well as a well- heeled, high exposure part-time auditioned (and won) job that would have brought her second love - singing - to all parts of the world as a member of the USO. After she returned, she had a hard time figuring out what to do - if you stay in Orlando, you are stuck in so many ways.

But do your own soul searching. Pros/cons, 5 year lists and all that. Good luck.