WDW College Program

[JaynMACP96_97_9]

High School Graduates/College Program

Like someone already said, your best bet is to go to college for that first semester.

I'd actually recommend getting a few semesters under your belt, especially if you live at school. This way you can get adjusted to having roommates with different backgrounds.

There's quite a few people that do the program who go to community colleges and have never lived away from home with people their own age. Now that's fine if you're an open-minded and accepting person, but my point is that not everyone is and you want to have the best time you can while you're down there. You don't want to be dwelling on why so-so never cleans their dishes and leaves Playstation on everytime they leave the apartment, yaknow?

As far as being able to even do the program out of high school, you can't. You have to be actively going to college. So that even includes if you're taking an extended break from school to work in your home area, i don't believe you're eligible either.

I did my first program in the fall of 96 when i was a junior in college and 21 years old. I then returned that following summer, when they still had summer-only programs. Then, i spent my last semester, spring 99, down there again.

I brought my car all 3 times, although my Saab died during my last program and sat at Vistaway tanning in the lot my whole program. I'm from MA, and the first time i drove down with friends who were returning to UF in Gainsville. The other two times i was by myself and did the auto train from Lorton, VA(outside the DC beltway) to Sanford, FL(hour north of Disney, provided there's no downtown orlando traffic).

You should definately take your car if at all possible. Working at WDW is obviously great, but you're cheating yourself of the rest of Florida, and even Orlando, if you spend the whole time between your apartment/the parks/downtown disney.

The program has certainly changed quite a bit since even my last program in '99. Many colleges viewed it, and maybe still do, as just an extended vacation and i know my school had debated dropping the once-a-semester recruiting visits. But my school also sent anywhere from 10-15 kids each program so there was never a shortage on demand among the kids.

As a result of this perception, they restructured the program so that you had a fair amount of work to do while you are down there.

Would someone that has done the program over the past 3 years let these newbies know what you had to do?

 

[Lhriangel]

I did the program Fall Advantage 01 (am supposed to leave next tuesday for another stint since I just graduated from school) and while I have heard alot of housing things have changed (a friend called me last night to give me a rundown on what has changed but then again things change frequently) I do know that the CP is definatly trying to change the image of the program and make it sound like less of a "party" internship like people have called it. I am a campus rep at UCLA (the first and only one UCLA has had so far) and when I market the program I tend to market it as an experience and a stepping point for a career rather then as something to do as a vacation.

I took 3 classes while I was down there (not cause I *had* to, I just wanted to) and had alot of work to do and they worked us 31-40 hours a week, but then again I was there during 9/11 so we had more time off then most programs (and our paychecks were less).

If anyone is interested in the changes I have *heard* about IM me but since they are just rumors I don't think I should post them.

 

[joefox97]

I did the program in Fall 2002, and everything was pretty much like Angel said - I would absolutely suggest taking a car - it's not absolutely necessary, BUT, if you don't want to locked down to a rather rigid and inflexible bus schedule and want to have Florida as your playground, bring a car.

I didn't take any of the classes, because I wanted to spend my time working and playing instead. I loved my job - I had kind of an unsual assignment, where I was assigned to one area of EPCOT as a Custodial Cast Member. But I was also trained for merchandise and worked as a greeter for attractions. I was essentially a "Rescue Ranger" or Role Hopper, but assigned only to Seas/Imagination. I worked overtime as a Rescue Ranger almost constantly (much to my significant others' chagrin, at times), and worked at both Magic Kingdom and Disney-MGM studios whenever I had time. I never had the chance to work at Animal Kingdom.

The beauty of the college program experience is that it is different for everyone - you make the experience what you want it to be - the College Program staff gives you the tools, and you shape it into anything you want it to be - if you want it to be just a job, it can be just a job. If you want it to be an educational experience, the classes are available, and from what I heard, they are quite good. If you want to use it as a springboard to working in a different position at Disney, it can be that - I've talked to literally hundreds of Cast Members who have moved from the ranks of being a CP into being a manager, area manager, etc.

It can also be one great big party, if you want... the resoures for partying are infinite. Pleasure Island, CityWalk, etc. are all at your disposal, and of course, there's always the apartments that are frequent party-spots (like my apartment was).

For me, my experience was a combination of all. I didn't take the classes, but I learned a LOT from my managers, other managers, the various newsletters published around the area, and hundreds of great experiences that I had...

Here's the story of one of my experiences - I was wearing a "Mickey" nametag that day (my middle name is Michael)... http://www.whatwouldwaltdo.com/Pages/castmembers/Honored/mickey fixes.shtml

Anyway, feel free to IM me at joefox97 if you have any specific questions, or leave them here, and I'll come back! There are a great many former CM's and CP's on this board who are more than willing to share their experiences.

Joe

Joe

 

[mraw]

I first participated in the WDW College Program in Spring of 2000(I sound old saying that). When I first got back home from the program, it was very hard to get back into the flow of being in school. I decided to only take once class when I got back home. MANY people that go down to Florida on the program end up staying. You really have to decide BEFORE you go that you are going to finish school, because if not, you will get caught up. I took a semester off to do the program, and I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 3 and a half years (but I always went to school in the summer). I applied to go back to the program during my last semester in school, and I ended up going back in the Spring of 2002 (What luck? In 2000, I was there for the Millennium Celebration, and in 2002, I was there for 100 Years of Magic!). Now I am back in school working on a second degree and hoping to return for an Advanced Internship. The CP really is a good experience. You get to meet people from all over the world. I'm glad that I was able to do it. Also, Once you've completed the program successfully, it's not terribly hard to get reaccepted. As a matter of fact, it's almost a given that you will be going back if you completed it once with no problems.