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Have you ever done the Disney College Program?
- Thread starter jrtcrm15
- Start date
TiggersPooh
Active Member
i want to hear what people say about this program because it sounds like something i would want to do...
One Lil Spark
EPCOT Center Defender
A few people you could talk to are OnlyALittleAngel and TurkeyLegBoy. I know that they are extremely knowledgable about the topic!! (Mainly b/c they've done it.)
I'd suggest Private Messaging them if you don't get a good response from this thread.
I'd suggest Private Messaging them if you don't get a good response from this thread.
Thanks so much guys, I more then anything am interested in doing this program! If anyone else has any info then you can email me at Jrtcrm15@aol.com or IM me at Jrtcrm15! And DisneyWY, good luck, let me know if you got in!
ImSweetPea
New Member
Wow.. whats that?? a college program? Does nayone have any info on it??????
Some love the college program, others don't. It's something that should be done only if you have the time to miss a good 6 months of school and really want to work in a minimum wage entry level job at Disney. Don't be fooled by their spiel either; the Disney recruiters try to make the program sound like an awesome opportunity to impress possible future employers by your ability to work in an "internship" for a "Fortune 500" company..but nothing can be further from the truth. Employers aren't impressed by the idea that you worked operating a ride or sold popcorn nor is this an "internship" nor does the fact that Disney is a fortune 500 company make any difference (remember, McDonalds is a Fortune 500 company too, but selling chicken nuggets is hardly impressive). It's simply Disney's way of attracting desperate college students fill entry level jobs that they'd have a hard time filling if this program didn't exist. The supplemental classes they provide for the program are nice, but if you go to a decent college and are majoring in the buisness field, the classes are nothing different than what you would already encounter.
If you enjoy Disney, and don't mind leaving college for 6 months to work at a minimum wage job to be in Central Florida...then this is a great experience. It can be a wonderful time, it's just a matter of if you have the time to take a break for that long from college in addition to other breaks you may need to take from college in the future (i.e. co-ops if you are an engineer, or a credible and relevant internship if you are a business major)
If you enjoy Disney, and don't mind leaving college for 6 months to work at a minimum wage job to be in Central Florida...then this is a great experience. It can be a wonderful time, it's just a matter of if you have the time to take a break for that long from college in addition to other breaks you may need to take from college in the future (i.e. co-ops if you are an engineer, or a credible and relevant internship if you are a business major)
Chernabog
New Member
I've did the college program twice, before I went seasonal. It's a great experiance. I'm also a college representative at my local college. These were some of the best experiances of my life and I highly recommend it to anyone who is intereested. There is so much information about this that I can give you...are there any specific questions? For anyone who has never heard of it go to www.wdwcollegeprogram.com for all the official info. Feel free to pm me if you really want to know anything else.
I had a blast on my CP. Actually, they don't really consider the CP to be an internship, hence the name COLLEGE PROGRAM.
Mark, did you do the CP?
True, you will be performing basic tasks that you could at a local fast food restaurant, water park, retail shop, etc.
If interested in working for WDW later in life and/or a hospitality company, the CP is a good thing to do.
Doing the CP gave me a much needed break from school, gave me a direction (wanted to be in business/hospitality), and a great opportunity to learn more about myself.
A CP allows you to network in a very diverse company in different lines of the business. I was able to take a class that Lee Cockerell spoke at. I recently found out he had taken the time out of his schedule to go on a recruiting trip. I corresponded with him, thanking him and mentioning the class. He actually responded.
The ADVANCED INTERNSHIPS and MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS (most CP alumni only) are actual internships and very educational.
If anyone has any questions, check out my website, e-mail me, or PM me. I'm also on AIM (wdwturkeyleg) from time to time. I love talking about the CP and helping people decide if its for them and just giving them more information about it.
Mark, did you do the CP?
True, you will be performing basic tasks that you could at a local fast food restaurant, water park, retail shop, etc.
If interested in working for WDW later in life and/or a hospitality company, the CP is a good thing to do.
Doing the CP gave me a much needed break from school, gave me a direction (wanted to be in business/hospitality), and a great opportunity to learn more about myself.
A CP allows you to network in a very diverse company in different lines of the business. I was able to take a class that Lee Cockerell spoke at. I recently found out he had taken the time out of his schedule to go on a recruiting trip. I corresponded with him, thanking him and mentioning the class. He actually responded.
The ADVANCED INTERNSHIPS and MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS (most CP alumni only) are actual internships and very educational.
If anyone has any questions, check out my website, e-mail me, or PM me. I'm also on AIM (wdwturkeyleg) from time to time. I love talking about the CP and helping people decide if its for them and just giving them more information about it.
Firewolfe51
Member
Hello! It's the other half of Firewolfe51. I work with a lady whose daughter is there now working with the college program. She absolutely loves it. Living in Orlando, in Disney apartments, working at Tinkerbell's Treasures. What more could a college age person want???? Bonus for her family, they have a great excuse to visit WDW all the time.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
Just to reiterate what some other people have written:
Go if you are looking to take some time away from school, are seriously into Disney, and would like to get a day-in, day-out behind-the-scenes experience, see Orlando, and go to the parks until you're sick of 'em. (Yeah, it'll happen.)
Don't go if you can't put up with very monotonous and often tedious work or want to use an internship to impress companys other than Disney.
There are big pros and cons; personally, I'm glad I did it. It gave me some time away from the academic pressurecooker, I made friends that I still am very close to nearly a year later, and I learned that the theme-park biz is not for me. It was valuable, fun, and instructive. Think it over beforehand and look beyond the rosy spiel you'll hear from the recruiters before pulling the trigger.
Go if you are looking to take some time away from school, are seriously into Disney, and would like to get a day-in, day-out behind-the-scenes experience, see Orlando, and go to the parks until you're sick of 'em. (Yeah, it'll happen.)
Don't go if you can't put up with very monotonous and often tedious work or want to use an internship to impress companys other than Disney.
There are big pros and cons; personally, I'm glad I did it. It gave me some time away from the academic pressurecooker, I made friends that I still am very close to nearly a year later, and I learned that the theme-park biz is not for me. It was valuable, fun, and instructive. Think it over beforehand and look beyond the rosy spiel you'll hear from the recruiters before pulling the trigger.
I guess maybe they removed the word "internship" this year possibly, but as of last year, recruiters had been using that word to describe the program and I believe it was on some of the literature that was sent to propspective WDWCP participants.
Yep, and had a great time at it, but I only did so because I had so many credits going into college that I could afford to take a few months off. With the way the economy is now, I'm not quick to reccomend it to those looking for a decent internship as most people would be better off leaving school to go with a decent company offering them a much more expanded role.
Which is unfortunately my gripe about the program. They try to sugar-coat the simplicity of the jobs and most people tend to overlook it. I, for one, knew what I was getting into when I joined, but many didn't...and at the end of the day (as I'm sure you can attest to if you went through it), there were WDWCP CM's who were extremely unhappy at their job (especially those who had to work during the holidays or dealt with unruly guests).
Which is a great point that I forgot to mention (I'm glad you did). If anybody is considering a job in the hospitality/travel industry, the "Vacation Planner" and Hospitality roles are perfect for those looking for relevant experience.
I'm glad to see some advocates at the program here are posting subjectively about the program. I was afraid I would've gotten some criticism for my post about the reality of the program and it's relevance. The program is great for some people, but it definitely takes some thought before committing yourself to it and you really can not go by what the Disney recruiters say about the program to gain a realistic perspective of it.
mkepcotmgmak
Well-Known Member
Re: Re: Have you ever done the Disney College Program?
umm - i was on the cp - and i feel like it got me the good paying college student job that i have - they were very impressed that i went to work for disney, on an internship - i am hopefully going back in january!!! feel free to email me at bigjosh@inu.net! I think it is a great program, but it does take a certain person to do it - josh....
umm - i was on the cp - and i feel like it got me the good paying college student job that i have - they were very impressed that i went to work for disney, on an internship - i am hopefully going back in january!!! feel free to email me at bigjosh@inu.net! I think it is a great program, but it does take a certain person to do it - josh....
xfkirsten
New Member
Yup, former CP here! I did one program in Merchandise, then extended my program and went into Entertainment. I absolutely loved it!!! There are definitely good and bad things about the program.
Pros:
-You're at Disney! And you have free admission almost every day of the year! This, of course, means a lot of time hanging out in the parks. I went on every attraction and saw every show in the four theme parks, easily. Some people get tired of it, yes. I personally didn't. Just depends on the individual.
-You get experience in Disney. If you want to work for hte company after you graduate, this is a great foot in the door. The College Program staff and Centers of Excellence (CM libraries/info centers) regularly schedule networking events to get to know people in the field you want to get into - and in Disney, knowing people is a big deal!
-You meet incredible people on the program. My roommate was AWESOME, and we still talk to each other all the time and are trying to plan a get-together. But you meet so many people from all over the place, and have hte opportunity to make so many friends!
-It's a great next step from living in a dorm. In this situation, you pay your own rent and buy your own food (as oppose to a meal plan) but it's not like living in an outside apartment where you have to take care of your own utilities or find your own transportation to get to work. It's kind of in-between.
Cons:
-You will be away from your family for at least one major holiday, sometimes more. For some people this can be very hard. On the upside, roommates and co-workers often get together as a sort of second family. At my first work location my manager set up Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for us, and my roommates and I all celebrated Christmas together when we got home from work, at 3 am.
-The jobs are very basic, as people have noted. They can get really repetitive, and often you feel like "just another brick in the wall." However, I found that if you try to make it fun for the guests, it can make it fun for you too. Like when I worked in merchandise, I'd play games with guests. In glow merch I worked up a glow sword balancing act.
-You will not become rich. Most CPs are flat broke by the time they go home. A few have a couple hundred dollars. But most people spend money as fast as they get it, so don't go into it expecting to rake in the dough.
Just some food for thought there!
-Kirsten
Pros:
-You're at Disney! And you have free admission almost every day of the year! This, of course, means a lot of time hanging out in the parks. I went on every attraction and saw every show in the four theme parks, easily.
Some people get tired of it, yes. I personally didn't. Just depends on the individual. -You get experience in Disney. If you want to work for hte company after you graduate, this is a great foot in the door. The College Program staff and Centers of Excellence (CM libraries/info centers) regularly schedule networking events to get to know people in the field you want to get into - and in Disney, knowing people is a big deal!
-You meet incredible people on the program. My roommate was AWESOME, and we still talk to each other all the time and are trying to plan a get-together. But you meet so many people from all over the place, and have hte opportunity to make so many friends!
-It's a great next step from living in a dorm. In this situation, you pay your own rent and buy your own food (as oppose to a meal plan) but it's not like living in an outside apartment where you have to take care of your own utilities or find your own transportation to get to work. It's kind of in-between.
Cons:
-You will be away from your family for at least one major holiday, sometimes more. For some people this can be very hard. On the upside, roommates and co-workers often get together as a sort of second family. At my first work location my manager set up Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for us, and my roommates and I all celebrated Christmas together when we got home from work, at 3 am.
-The jobs are very basic, as people have noted. They can get really repetitive, and often you feel like "just another brick in the wall." However, I found that if you try to make it fun for the guests, it can make it fun for you too. Like when I worked in merchandise, I'd play games with guests. In glow merch I worked up a glow sword balancing act.
-You will not become rich. Most CPs are flat broke by the time they go home. A few have a couple hundred dollars. But most people spend money as fast as they get it, so don't go into it expecting to rake in the dough.
Just some food for thought there!
-Kirsten
This post has been so incredibly helpful, I appreciate the feedback so much. xfkirsten Thanks for the pro/com list. The more I hear about it the more I know I want to do it! Just warning if you leave me your email I will be asking questions, Lots, lol! Hope ya don't mind!
Chernabog
New Member
Talking about holidays, I was there for summer and fall so I wasn't with my family for the 4th, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, new years, and my 21st birthday but I had a wonderful time and for anyone looking into the program I think this is the best time of year to go. I wasn't really really close with my roomates but had practically moved in with some other friends and for thanksgiving we all made different things and shared our family traditions (I got to make the turkey and I must say it turned out rather well). For christmas because we all had weird schedule we all opened presents at like midnight on Christmas eve while we ate Dominoes pizza. Sure it's not very traditional but it was a great experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Oh how I miss those holidays. Also my friends and I plan a get together once every year there. It's great. Although it can be hard at times and not everyone goes away loving the experiance but I feel like I learned alot and it has helped me alot since then.