Should You Apply To The Disney College Program? PT 1
Applications for the Spring/Spring advantage Disney College Program season opened last week, To give a little background information on my own ties to the program, I was a participant in two consecutive programs in 2014. I was accepted to the Walt Disney World Spring Advantage 2014 and extended through Fall 2014. There are a few changes to the dashboard display and the option for SMS updates, but other than that the candidate process flow is pretty much the same as it was when I applied 5 years ago.
In the solidarity with all DCP (Disney College Program) hopefuls out there, I am going to post a multi-part series on the process from prospective applicant to participant. In this first post, I will be covering everything to consider before you apply. Please note that these posts will specifically focused on the process for a DCP participant not a professional intern, culinary participant, or international Participant because I have never participated in the latter three programs.
The whole process of applying for the DCP is one big waiting game! I remember, I decided to apply to the DCP in the summer of 2013, after visiting Tokyo Disneyland and watching a ton of vlogs from participants. Applications only drop twice a year around the same time, late January/February for Fall programs and late August/September for the spring programs. Given this info, you will have time to prep a bit for the process, though waiting for applications to drop is the worst!
First thing you should know, is do you meet the minimum requirement to participate in the program?
According to the Disney Programs Blog as of 8.26.2018, the following are minimum requirements for participation.
Students must be currently enrolled and taking classes at an accredited program or institution and have completed at least one semester OR have graduated within the past six months.
Students who have not yet graduated from high school but have dual enrollment with a college are not eligible to apply.
Those who have taken college courses, but are currently taking “time off” from school are not eligible to apply.
College freshmen may apply during their first semester of school to participate during their second semester. The Disney College Program cannot serve as your first semester of school.
Graduate students may apply. However, it is important to note that this program and its educational components are designed for undergraduates.
Meet any school requirements, if applicable
In some cases, students may also need to meet additional criteria their school requires for participation in our program (GPA, grade level, etc.). Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor prior to their program.
Be at least 18 years of age by the time the program begins
Possess unrestricted work authorization
It doesn't matter if you attend a university or community college as long as your school is accredited. I applied after I graduated from the University of Tennessee. At the time I applied, I took a few classes for an online grad school
program at the University of Florida, part-time. Little did I know, that this would be the perfect set up when I decided to apply to the DCP because I could still take my classes while on the program! You do not have to be a degree seeking student to participate, you just have to be taking one class.
Another important thing to note is that not everyone on the program is a freshman or sophomore in college, contrary to this belief. I applied to the program at 23. By the time I checked in, I had turned 24. During my extension, I turned 25, and I was not the oldest person on my program! There were people a few years older than me at my location, many people were either my age or 1-2 years younger, and there were some who were quite a bit younger.
Don't sweat your age, especially because you can choose to room with people over 21, and you will more than likely mingle with the PT/FT cast members, many of whom are a more mature age. The most important point, is to make sure that financially, you are in a position to take the job because CPs don't exactly get paid the highest wage. For me, it ended up being a pay increase and I was guaranteed way more hours than at my retail job at the time. Be aware that Disney does take out a subsidized amount for housing costs.
Which leads me to my next point. Are you okay rooming with strangers? You do have the option to stay in non Disney living, which would require you to have access to a car and make all arrangements yourself. If you don't have a car, you are better off staying in Disney housing, as they have buses that will take you to the property as well as other places around the city. If possible, I do recommend having a car. I still chose to ride the bus when I would play in the park or go to the grocery store, but I really appreciated having my car to go to and from work most days. I was able to control the time I went to and from work which was better for my own sanity. I was only late once and it involved the buses.
As for Disney, they will pack you like sardines in housing! lol. There could be potentially 2-3 people to a room, not to an apartment, but a room! Make sure you are okay with that because although you can indicate preferences, nothing is guaranteed. You could be sharing a bathroom with 2 other people and a kitchen with a total of 7 in a 3 bedroom apartment. You need to go down there with the mindset of making friends and getting out of your comfort zone.
Next point....have a realistic expectation of what it is like working in the service industry and understand Disney is a busy place. You may not have a set schedule every week. For me most weeks were pretty standard with similar shifts everyday and I had the same two off days every week. This could vary for you depending on location. There were occasional weeks where I only had 1 off day. There were a many times I had a 16 hours shift. Guests are of course sometimes rude and hostile. There were extremely hot days and days where I had to chase strollers in a monsoon. Take into account there will be bad days. If you are okay with this, then this program is for you!
Next, look at the roles that are available and ask yourself if you would be okay performing some of those. I wouldn't apply if you can only see your self doing one or two role, particularly if they are roles with limited space like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or character attendants. Being open to multiple roles is important because nothing is guaranteed and it increases the likelihood of you being chosen. That being said, don't offer yourself up for a role that you know you would hate. It defeats the purpose of you participating, which should be to have great time and learn!
Lastly, decide how long you would like to participate. Summer programs are sometimes available, but most of the time the two options are a 4 month program (Fall/Spring) or a 7 month program (Fall Advantage/Spring Advantage). Advantage means that the summer is included with the season.
Once you have decided all this, sit back and wait for the applications to drop.
This is what I would consider before applying. I would love to hear what your own experience was leading up to applications or if you have anything to add!
Here's some links to an oldies but goodies, enjoy:
Thanks for reading! ❤