Disney College Program: My Final Thoughts

This past fall as some of you know I participated in the Disney College Program. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and I will never regret doing it. I was a Skipper on the Jungle Cruise in the Magic Kingdom. I absolutely loved where I worked and the people I worked with.... most of the time that is. Like any other internship this is a job, and you will be working very long hours most of the time. You will also work holidays and weekends... yes I know it sucks. I worked Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years while on my program, but in the end it was all worth it. Being a Cast Member makes you part of the magic of The Walt Disney World Resort, and it is our job as Cast Members to make dreams come true for both the young and old.

Being a Cast Member mean that the perks are pretty awesome. First and foremost, you get to go to Disney World for FREE! And during my program they were having a special promotion that we got to go to the water parks for free too. As a castmember, you also get merchandise discounts, hotel discount, cruise line discounts, and ticket discounts. During the Christmas holiday our cast member discount was raised to 50% off, which was pretty awesome because it applied to all Disney merchandise except for movies and CD's.

Now I will warn you, the housing situation seems great but as one of my friends so adequately put it, she "hates Price Management and their stupid apartments... they can take their stupid rules and shove it where the sun don't shine". The company that manages the apartment complexes absolutely blows. The rules are ridiculous, the security guys are assholes, and if you break a housing rule you can be terminated from the program. The housing is the biggest bad mark on the program in my eyes. I would recommend living in Patterson or Chatham, stay away from Vista. Patterson is the newest complex and where I spent my program. DO NOT LIVE IN A 3 OR 4 BEDROOM APARTMENT because it is 2 people per room meaning there will be 8 people max in an apartment. Though this sounds fun.... you will have no space in your kitchen for anything. I lived in a 3 bedroom so there were 6 of us, and well there was never any space in the fridge at all. Plus 6 girls in one apartment.... no bueno.

Despite the lousy housing situation, I would recommend this program to anyone. I have loved Disney since the very first time I went there when I was 4 years old and I love it even more now that I have been a Cast Member. If you have worries about seeing the backstage stuff and it ruining the magic, don't worry, being a part of the magic is such a rewarding experience. So if you have ever wondered if the Disney College Program is right for you, I say do it. You only live once and to have an opportunity like this is, in my eyes, a dream come true.

I love Disney!

There is nothing more wonderful than the Disney College Program! I have loved this experience since day #1 and will never regret doing it. I have learned so much from being here and my program still has 3 more months before it is over.

I have met so many amazing people, some of which I know I will continue to have wonderful relationships with as the years go on. I have decided that at the end of my program I am going to return to school and graduate while maintaining seasonal status at Disney. That way I can continue to work at the Jungle Cruise. When I graduate I would love to return to Disney and audition to be a member of the entertainment department.

I am truly looking forward to what these next 3 months have in store for me. I could have never guess that I wold be having the experience that I am having now. Some people may think that this is a load of crap, but I believe strongly that your dreams really can come true. I feel like I am living a fairy tale and each day gets better and better.

Have a Magical Day

Officially Have a Roommate

As of a couple days ago I officially have a roommate for my Disney College Program. We found each other through the Disney CP group on Facebook. Her name is Megan and I really think we are going to get along great.

We have already started talking about what each of us is bringing, and stuff like that. I am really glad this has been figured out and that on the first day I will know my roommate and also that we wont have a ton of duplicate stuff. Well that is all I have for now. Hopefully I will have more updates soon.

Have a Magical Day!

Dream Places to Work

I got this idea from another blog and decided it would be fun to do it too. In the fall I am going to be an attractions cast member at Walt Disney World as a part of the Disney College Program. I thought it would be fun to share with y'all the places I would love to work at while in Disney.
First: The Great Movie Ride in Disney Hollywood Studios
Second: The Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom
Third: Kilimanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom
Fourth: Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom
I think any ride at Disney would be great, but these are my top four that I would love to work at. Sadly I have to wait till August to find out exactly where I am going to work, so we will see what happens

Disney College Program

I found out today that I was accepted to participate in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World. I am really excited about having this opportunity because it is something that I have wanted to do since I was only 12 years old. When I got my invitation to be a part of the program in the mail I started to cry because I was so excited. This is basically what it is about (taken from the Disney College Program Website):

Program Overview

The Disney College Program at the Walt Disney World® Resort is a one-of-a-kind, Disney-designed combination of education and work experience. Disney College Program Cast Members have the opportunity to:

• Build transferable skills that include relationship building, problem solving, and written and verbal communication
  Obtaining and embracing these skills will help make participants an asset to any employer they have in the future, and these skills also will be helpful in their personal development.
  
• Explore networking opportunities at the Walt Disney World Resort
  Participants have numerous opportunities to meet Disney leaders, attend learning activities hosted by Disney executives and make the connections they want to learn more about the professional roles available at the Walt Disney World Resort.
  
• Tap into educational opportunities that offer new courses coupling academic theory and Walt Disney World management expertise
  All participants have the opportunity to take courses and possibly earn college credit. These classes will provide additional insight into the leadership and management concepts you're learning in the workplace.
  
• Earn real-world experience with a leader in the industry
  The Walt Disney World Resort has an international reputation for excellent Guest service and training, in addition to its popularity as the number-one vacation destination in the world.
  
• Make friendships that cover the globe
  Disney College Program Cast Members work with a diverse Cast and live with people from around the country and possibly the world.
  
• Enjoy the privileges of being a Walt Disney World Cast Member, including free theme park admission admission for you and your friends, and discounts on resort accommodations, merchandise and more
  Cast Members enjoy a wide variety of discounts at the Walt Disney World Resort and within the Central Florida community.

As a part of the Disney College Program I get to be an attractions cast member, which means I get to work on one of the rides at Disney World. The program is open to all majors, and there are several roles to chose from for the type of work you would like to do.

Another great thing is that the apartment you live in while in the program is only for college program participants and they have 24hr security, so you don't have to worry about who you are living next door to. I can't wait till I start my program; I'm scheduled for arrival on August 19th.