Could anybody tell me what ICP is like and how the application process works, what about housing and shifts? Can you tell me about ICP and has anybody done it from UK, is it worth it?
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ICP in UK
- Thread starter MattyMitch
- Start date
Hey I'm from the UK and have just come back from an ICP. In the UK you apply through Yummy Jobs. There are three programs.
The Cultural Representative Program is the only program you can participate in if you are not in university. It is a year long program and you work in the UK pavilion in Epcot. The applications have recently closed so you will have to wait another year to apply.
The Cultural Exchange Program takes place in your summer break from university and you can be placed in just about any role in any park, resort or anything else there is at WDW.
The Academic Exchange Program is another one where you have to be in university and is only open to specific universities. I think there is around 15, you'll be able to find a list on the Yummy Jobs website. It lasts 6 months to a year and again you can be in any role. In this program you usually change roles multiple times throughout. Again you could be working anywhere.
You get placed into one of the four Disney housing complexes. You share a bedroom with one or two other CPs or ICPs and there can be multiple bedrooms in each apartment. All of them were nice enough and all have a pool. The rent comes straight out your paycheck.
The shifts you recieve depend on your role. You are guaranteed a minimum of 30 hours a week.I always received around 40 hours a week on my Cultural Exchange Program.
Hope this helps and if you need to ask anything else just let me know
The Cultural Representative Program is the only program you can participate in if you are not in university. It is a year long program and you work in the UK pavilion in Epcot. The applications have recently closed so you will have to wait another year to apply.
The Cultural Exchange Program takes place in your summer break from university and you can be placed in just about any role in any park, resort or anything else there is at WDW.
The Academic Exchange Program is another one where you have to be in university and is only open to specific universities. I think there is around 15, you'll be able to find a list on the Yummy Jobs website. It lasts 6 months to a year and again you can be in any role. In this program you usually change roles multiple times throughout. Again you could be working anywhere.
You get placed into one of the four Disney housing complexes. You share a bedroom with one or two other CPs or ICPs and there can be multiple bedrooms in each apartment. All of them were nice enough and all have a pool. The rent comes straight out your paycheck.
The shifts you recieve depend on your role. You are guaranteed a minimum of 30 hours a week.I always received around 40 hours a week on my Cultural Exchange Program.
Hope this helps and if you need to ask anything else just let me know
Hey I'm from the UK and have just come back from an ICP. In the UK you apply through Yummy Jobs. There are three programs.
The Cultural Representative Program is the only program you can participate in if you are not in university. It is a year long program and you work in the UK pavilion in Epcot. The applications have recently closed so you will have to wait another year to apply.
The Cultural Exchange Program takes place in your summer break from university and you can be placed in just about any role in any park, resort or anything else there is at WDW.
The Academic Exchange Program is another one where you have to be in university and is only open to specific universities. I think there is around 15, you'll be able to find a list on the Yummy Jobs website. It lasts 6 months to a year and again you can be in any role. In this program you usually change roles multiple times throughout. Again you could be working anywhere.
You get placed into one of the four Disney housing complexes. You share a bedroom with one or two other CPs or ICPs and there can be multiple bedrooms in each apartment. All of them were nice enough and all have a pool. The rent comes straight out your paycheck.
The shifts you recieve depend on your role. You are guaranteed a minimum of 30 hours a week.I always received around 40 hours a week on my Cultural Exchange Program.
Hope this helps and if you need to ask anything else just let me know
Hi! Thanks for replying.
Which program did you do?
I'm thinking about attractions or merchendise.
How does park admission work?
Best role in your opinion ?
What was your role?
What was housing like?
Thanks!
I did the Cultural Exchange Program. In the interviews you say which roles you would like to do then they select one for you, you don't really get to pick. You get a main gate pass which is your free entrance ticket. You can use it as much as you like. You also get tickets for friends and family. On my program we got 3 tickets that could be used to 3 days each but on a longer program you get more I think.
I've heard good things about custodial, attractions and merchandise can get boring standing in the same position all day. In custodial you can wander around and have much more free reign. I was a character performer and that was great too, it got very hot at times but was great to have such good interactions with guests.
The housing was pretty good, probably better than most halls at UK unis. My apartment had 3 bedrooms and 6 people living there. The kitchen in the apartment has everything you need in it already.
Thabks for telling me this, I did not know!
I don't know I have read some reviews on Attractions and Merchendise. It seems merchendise can be fast paced or slow paced and you get to interact with guests which I really would enjoy! Attractions is really just because I always loved rides. I like that you can interact with guests but not the whole repetitive questions part but thats just one of the cons I suppose. I have heard about custodial but i'm not sure... I would like interaction but not cleaning toilets, nasty!! I haven't heard about character performers. Could you fill me in?
I've always got the impression that custodial gets a ton more guest interaction that merchandise or attractions. You don't really massively interact with guests in attractions, at least not talking to them. Merchandise can be fast or slow paced but if it's fast paced the guest interaction goes out the window. Haha I've been told that cleaning toilets is not as bad as it sounds. Every custodian on a CP or ICP has said to me they'd prefer to be in custodial than any other role.
A character performer is 'friends' with the characters. There's other roles available too. Many on my program were lifeguards at the water parks and resort pool. There's quick service food and beverage which can be either the quick service restaurants or outdoor food/drink carts. Full service food and beverage which is seating guests at full service restaurants. Recreation which can be a number of things from renting towels at the water parks or renting boats at resorts, there's a lot that falls under Recreation. Character Attendants look after the characters and form their lines etc. Costuming is working backstage where other cast members pick up their costumes. Housekeeping is cleaning hotel rooms. There's Bellhop services too which is greeting guests as they get off the buses and taking their cases, calling taxis etc. I think that's all the roles on the Cultural Exchange program off the top of my head.
Expensive haha. There are interviews with Yummy Jobs around the country first. They tell you which one to go to and you have a group interview. If you get past that you have an interview at Disney Headquarters in London. After that you start getting your visa and stuff. You have to book your own flights too so you're probably looking at almost £1000 to go after you pay all the visa and program fees on top of your flights and travel to interviews etc. You have to go back to London for your visa which can be expensive depending on where you live.
I think so. I would do it all again.
Operations is attractions. Where have you seen culinary?
On yummy jobs website under Academic Exchange Program in program info
Oh, culinary is working in the kitchen making food for guests. Have you seen the list of unis on Yummy Jobs' website? For the Academic Exchange Program you need to be in one of them.
Yeah, it's all good. Only thing is rooming.
Rooming as in where you'll live in Orlando? Disney puts you in their own apartments you don't have to worry about that.
How is it? And how do you get to work?
The apartments are fine, I enjoyed mine. Disney has buses that go from the apartment complexes to the parks and resorts. They're free and only for CPs and ICPs. They have buses to Walmart and the Florida Mall too.
Are they reliable? How far are the complexes from disney?
Not that far, it took around 20 minutes usually to get home from work.
Well, they usually come. Everyone hates the buses but I wouldn't let that stop you from doing the program.
What are shifts like?