Apply for the Disney College Program Today!

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Applications have begun being accepted for Disney’s “Disney College Program.”

dcp

As an alum of this wonderful program i can happily share some information about it and possibly spark your interest in applying.

The Disney College Program is a paid internship where college students come to work at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Housing is provided for the internship and you get the chance to work and learn from a successful and amazing company.

Interested? Great! Here is some info to help you understand more about the program and if it’s right for you! Also, i may use a few acronyms in this piece due to disney using acronyms quite a bit in their company.

Application Process

Initial Application: When you first apply, its like filling out any average job application. they ask for your basic info, work history,roles you are interested in, etc. NOTE: you do not have to submit a resume unless it asks. it does not affect your chances of getting accepted so doing so is entirely up to you. Once submitted, you will use your dashboard to keep up with your status and commuications. The dashboard shows you your current status in the process which i will explain in a moment. It is important to check every now and again on your dashboard as sometimes issues happen where you will not receive the email in your inbox and you can access it here. Once submitted you will also get your first email which is your “Thank you for Applying” email. it means nothing except that your app was submitted. By this time your status on your dashboard will either go into submission or in progress. In progress basically means that your app was looked at and you will either move forward to the WBI or you could be stuck there for a while. In submission means that your application is still being reviewed. This status freaks people out as some people never leave this status in their entire process and go straight into NLIC or No longer in consideration aka Rejected. Some people have left this status and moved on through the process to be accepted. Best thing to do in this stage is stay calm and optimistic.

Web Based Interview(WBI) : if you check your dashboard and your status is “‘Action Required” then CONGRATS! you have been selected to move onto stage 2 of the application process, the web based interview. Now if you have applied for a job before, this is just the assessment stage. Where you answer a few “strongly agree or disagree” questions. This one can be tricky for a few. My advice when doing the assessment is to make sure you have enough time to complete it, make sure you are in a quiet space where you can focus, answer strongly agree or disagree. Its okay to use neutral occasionally but not too often. maybe no more than 3 questions. Think like disney. Disney is all about hard work, safety and catering to their guests needs. and answer honestly and you should pass with flying colors.

Phone Interview (PI): At the end of the WBI, you immediately find out if you made it to the final stage, the phone interview. This is literally the most important stage of the interview. your “make or break it.” Once you are invited to schedule your phone interview, you should begin to prepare. Know your work history, have one example of a good and bad guest experience, have answers that make you stand out and show you are an excellent candidate. Research your top 3 roles and what is required of them. Fortunately for you i have a list of possible interview questions available for you to go over and practice. But try not to sound to rehearsed. smile, sound positive and confident and you should succeed. And always have a question for the interviewer. usually i choose ones that show i researched the company.

DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM POSSIBLE PHONE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Once your interview is done, you have done all you can do. you now have to wait. oh the dreaded waiting period. could be 2 weeks, 2 days, 2 months who knows?

As a quick reference here are what the status terms means as answered by a recruiter:

“in submission” – application has been received, undergone an initial review, awaiting a decision on asking the candidate to move to the interview stage. Some people mistakenly think that this means that the application hasn’t even been reviewed. As the recruiting season progresses, there will be periodic reminders sent to candidates who are in this stage to let them know that they are still being considered and that they should expect an update any day up until April 18th.
“in progress” – this status actually appears several times throughout the application/interview/pre-arrival process. What it means at any given time to any single candidate can be defined best by that candidate’s latest communication.
“pending” – one of 3 statuses issued within 2-3 weeks (could be less) following a telephone interview. The other 2 would be an offer and no longer in consideration. “Pending” means that additional time is needed before a final decision is made. “Pending” doesn’t actually show up on the progress bar. It is communicated through email. A copy is stored on the dashboard. There are also reminders sent to pending applicants approx. every 3 weeks. All pending applicants will receive a final update no later than April 18th (it could come at any time). We have several articles that talk about the pending status.
“NLIC” is short for “No Longer in Consideration”. This means that based on a candidate’s application, web based interview, telephone interview, or combination of any of the three, a decision was made to not extend them an offer this recruiting season. This is also specific to an application. Someone could be “no longer in consideration” for the College Program, but still apply or be considered for other positions (Professional Internships, Part Time, Full Time, etc.)
Someone who is informed that they are “no longer in consideration” for the College Program should know that this applies to everything in which they indicated on their College Program application (Disneyland/Walt Disney World, all roles, all program sessions). They also should not attend an audition to be a character performer on the Disney College Program. They are more than welcome to apply during a future recruiting season (future semester).

FAQ

Application Requirements :

  • must be enrolled as full or part time student
  • must meet your school’s requirements
  • must be 18 years old by the time the program begins
  • must have unrestricted work authorization
Can i get a job with Disney after my college program?
yes, as long as you have good standing with the company. It is very hard to get seasonal unless you are in entertainment as they are trying to phase seasonal status out.
What is “Disney Look?”
the Disney look is a professional, clean cut look that all Disney employees must have.extreme haircuts, hairstyles, body modifications, etc are not allowed. this does not mean, however, your chances of getting accepted are nonexistent.
For more details on Disney look, click here
What are the benefits of doing a Disney College program?
  • weekly pay
  • uniform is provided (except shoes)
  • theme park admission
  • discounts on certain dining and merchandise locations
  • educational opportunities
  • behind the scenes opportunities
  • networking
  • resume building experiences
Are the Disney classes mandatory to attend?
With the Disney World College program it is optional but with the Disneyland Program it is mandatory. The classes may count as a credit towards your education so check with your school adviser!
How does Housing work?
there are 4 housing complexes for the walt disney world program: Vista way, chatham square, patterson court and the commons. they take rent out of your weekly check to pay for amenities so you wont have to worry about it and they are the following:
  • fully furnished apartment
  • kitchen appliances like the ones which you can Find Out More here, utensils and dishware
  • all utilities
  • maintenance
  • computer labs
  • internet and cable ready
the rent can range from 80-105 dollars depending on the complex and how many roommates you have.The lower the bedroom count is , the higher you will pay.
  • one bedroom= 2 people
  • two bedrooms= 4 people
  • three bedrooms= 6 people
  • four bedrooms= 8 people
and then there is wellness (a no alcohol apt) and a non wellness ( alcohol allowed apt) if you are over 21 you can choose if you want to stay in a wellness or non wellness apt. if you are under age you are put in wellness automatically. complexes are non smoking as well. you can have guests but they must leave at 1am.
Prices for Apartments as of 2016 are as follows and subject to change :
Chatham Square
$93-120 for 1-4 bedrooms
Patterson Court
$100-120 for 1-3 bedrooms
Vista Way
$100-120 for 1-3 bedrooms
The Commons
$101-110 for 2-3 bedrooms
Can you choose your roommates?
You are able to choose your roommates but i advise you do so carefully. some go through dcp fb groups to search for roommates but you can also use Disney’s DORMS  system too.
Can i bring my own vehicle?
yes and i highly recommend you do so! Disney does provide bus transportation but it tends to be very unreliable so if you have a car BRING IT!
What is the acceptance fee?
the fee to accept is $350, not including the processing fee which is about $4.
  • Program Assessment Fee ($150)
    The one-time non-refundable $150 Program Assessment fee helps support the events and activities scheduled in the housing complexes throughout the program.
  • Housing and Administration Fee ($200)
    This required non-refundable $200 Housing and Administration fee, will be applied to the participant’s housing costs during the first few weeks of the program.
What roles are offered during the program?
Various of wonderful roles are available for you to choose from!
Take a look at the list of the roles here for Disney world and Disneyland.
What programs are available?
  • Spring- January/February – May/June
  • Spring Advantage- January/ February-July/August
  • Fall-August/ September- December/January
  • Fall Advantage- June/July- December/January
There are also programs for those who run on the quarter system
.
Interested in applying for the program?
Let us know in the comments!

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2 comments

  • Jackie Huerta
    August 31, 2016 at 6:37 pm

    This sound really interesting and fun to do. I would like to any for this, get some experience in working in a world famous company.

  • Jhuerta03
    August 31, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    I’m really interested in this program. It would look good in future applications.