The Truth About My Disney College Program

One year into COVID, I got accepted into the Disney College Program after my fourth time applying. As a life time goal of mine was finally achieved, it also quickly became my worst nightmare. Here is my DCP truth.

Dream Come True?

First off, the Disney College Program (DCP) was something I always found interesting and I made it a lifetime goal to get accepted into the program. I applied four times over the span of 4 years before I finally got accepted into the program. It took me four months to hear back, which was also one week away from me moving back to college for my first ever single apartment and senior year of college.

I was crushed when I finally got the news about which role I was offered. After being rejected four times, and making the decision to take off from my last year of college, I was told I would be working at Epcot as a custodian. From what I had on my resume and all the experiences I had purposely placed myself into, I felt let down. I worked specific jobs so I could have a better chance of getting a role in merchandise or customer service. I felt let down by the amount of faith I had in the Disney Company to give ME what I “worked” for. Fun fact, your major or line of work will not determine what role you will get.

New Expectations

That's the thing. The DCP is an internship of experiences working for the most populated park in the world. The one promise Disney makes to you is how having work experience with Disney, will look good on your future resume. Though I felt severely disappointed in my role, I still found the bright side to it. I watched YouTube videos about other Disney custodial experiences and found out that the role had many benefits. One is that you have so much customer interaction, two you get to roam (in a certain area when you're ahead of your game), and third, you can work at any and all the parks. My program was only four months long, so I found no reason to just stick it through and learn what I could from my internship with Disney. All in all you have to make do with what you have.

The Transfer

After 2 months I actually enjoyed working as a custodian. I was in the worst area ever to be based as a custodian which was in the World Showcase area, where there is a constant flow of trash due to all the food festivals. Considering all of that, I now have a new found love for cleaning up after myself and using fresh smelling sprays! I learned enough to make me feel like I succeeded in my program.

Things took a turn when I was about 2 months into my custodial role, as I was told I could transfer to attractions. So I did. It was not because I hated custodial that I decided to accept the transfer, it was for the pure fact I could try something new while I had such a short program.

The next week I was put in training for Frozen Ever After attraction in Epcot. As someone who learns hands on and struggles with dyslexia, I found this training to be extremely difficult. I could not remember the scenes or the boat stops to save life. Just because the attraction was a water ride it made things so much more complicated than working for an attraction that does not have water. If we took our eyes off the security screens we could possibly be fired.

Anyway the training was not set up for me to pass easily (which is a good thing/bad thing). When I did my training I was partnered with another trainee who also had learning disabilities, that were the opposite of mine. Therefore, us learning together was VERY difficult. Neither of us passed the test. So we both ended up in Crowd Control in the next door Mexico Pavilion.

During the peak of opening after the closure of Disney due to COVID, I was given the job to direct guests and ensure that they had on their masks at all times when inside the building. The job was a dream come true. Obviously this was the worst job ever, BUT it could be worse. I stood for 6 hours straight most days with a few breaks every now and then. As much as I was yelled at by guests who did not understand what kind of ticket they bought during COVID, I still somewhat enjoyed the job. I learned how to take initiative and sound authoritative, even when I felt intimidated. My anxiety increased and I felt stressed out being surrounded by people shoulder to shoulder every day. Eventually I did get my extra day of Frozen Attraction training (after 5 weeks) and was able to pass my exam. In total, I worked 2 hours for the Disney Frozen Ever After attraction.

Reality

Altogether my Disney College Program experience was one to remember. Work wise. I only got to go to the park a total of 3 times over the length of my four month program. In reality, I was not upset about the lack of park time I got. I understood I would be working a full time job and would be blocked out as a guest on certain dates. That's what a Universal Parks pass is for! Even more so, I was way too exhausted to have a park day.

The Problem

The problem I had with the Disney College Program was how the CP’s had such a high expectation of being treated with respect from the company itself. Here is the thing, as a Disney College Program intern, you are expected to work full time (even with school) and understand that you CAN BE REPLACED. The program is an experience that helps you grow in your career. What I mean by growth is not based on your role, I mean you learn how to wake up early, have long shifts, deal with ungrateful guests, and try to balance the work and life conflict. It is not easy. Especially for those who have had limited experience in working anywhere in their life.

Recommendations

Here is what I recommend. One, have work experience (any kind is better than none). Two, learn how to manage your time wisely. If you do not make time for yourself and have downtime to take a deep breath, you will suffer the consequences. Three, communication is key. You will have to talk to guests, leaders, and peers. You are expected to know how to articulate clearly and get the point across in an appropriate way. Four, learn to take initiative. Though you can be replaced at any time while working at Disney, you need to own up for what you signed up for. You will have bad days and you will have good days. Really key into why you are doing the program. If you signed up to do the program just because you wanted free tickets to Disney World, for your sake, please rethink it.

I wish you all the luck in your program. Disney has always been a part of my life and I hope that the program does not steal away the magic it once gave you. I still appreciate the company as a whole, but be aware you will see the ugly side of Disney. There is so much to learn from the company and the program itself. Good luck and have a magical day.