The Disney Summer Associate program

[spbink]

Hi everybody! I've been lurking and poking through threads for almost a year now, but almost never post.

This past summer I worked at The Walt Disney Studios as a Summer Associate in Studio IT (I rebuilt a web service for movie print management). I loved it, it was the best summer of my life. I thought I'd post about the program here, because all I see is talk about the College Program, and also there really isn't much information on the web about the summer associate program. When I applied, I just thought I was applying for an internship, because DisneyInterns.com doesn't say anything about the Studio having a program.

The Summer Associate (for some reason they like to call it that instead of interns, but we all called ourselves interns and it really is an internship) program for the Studio had about 80 interns, about 60 undergraduates and 20 graduate students. They hired in all areas - I had other friends in IT, friends in marketing and legal and feature animation. You're given a mentor who you work with - my mentor was the head of a small department/team of 10 people working on this web system, and I was the only intern with the group. They treated us really well. Every other Friday we had lunches for graduates or undergraduates with people around the Studio who told us what they do. I went to lunches with the head of Walt Disney Records, the marketing director of Feature Animation, and Dave Smith (who is The Man of Disney Archives, writing the Disney Encyclopedia and all sorts of trivia books). There was a big screening of Pirates of the Caribbean for us in the theater on the lot, and they took us to Disneyland at the end of the summer and gave us a great tour - they took us in fastpass for all the lines and we got to go behind the scenes to see the parade float warehouse (and were paid for the day :thumbsup2 ).

Best part of all for me was that I worked on the Studio Lot. Not everybody did - some people were other places in Burbank or in Glendale, but I was. It was so much fun. There's even a Disney Store on the lot (and we got an employee discount). I went in there every day. There were also events from the Disney Archives like old TV program and movie screenings that you could go to that were also shown on the lot. I even got to see an employee preview of Ratatouille during my lunch break a couple weeks before it came out.

The requirements differ for every area, but the main requirement is that you've completed your sophomore year (you can apply for the summer after your sophomore year) and that you will be returning to school in the fall. You don't have to be a College Program grad or anything. It is paid - I made $16/hr with a 40 hour week - and they want you to work at least 10 weeks during the summer so it's pretty much all of summer break. They don't provide housing, which is why they don't advertise too much outside of California I think, and I was one of the few who didn't go to school or live in California out of my friends there. I managed to find a place to live fairly easily, and if that's what you want then I'd say that's not too much of a setback.

There were similar internships in Imagineering, Consumer Products, Media Networks, and the Internet Group. If those are the areas you want to work in at Disney, I think this is probably a bigger foot in the door than the College Program. There isn't really an organized site about it, but the internships tend to be posted by December/January on DisneyCareers.com (just search for "intern" or "internship").

I know this is ridiculously long, and probably sounds like an infomercial, but I had such a fantastic time and nobody seems to know about the program anywhere, so I thought I'd let you all know! Also my friends are completely sick of hearing me talk about Disney, so I figured here I could bore a whole new bunch of people :goodvibes

So feel free to ask me questions! If I don't know the answer, I can ask somebody. And sorry this got so long :o

[Kookaburra2211]

Wow, this sounds like such a great program!

[jcollins13]

I'm actually applying for this program for the spring! I just came across it on the Feature Animation site and thought I would try it out. I'm getting my portfolio ready to send this month, so hopefully I can get it. Did they have any opportunities for full time employment at the end or give you any info on getting a job with them? How did the process of getting into this program go? I know you said there were quite a few of you, but since I'm going into the animation portion, I'm just wondering how competitive it is.... Anywho, how long did it take for you to get an answer and it says on the site they help with relocation, did they help you? And where did you end up living??? Alot of questions I know, but I am curious since this is something I am really interested in.

[spbink]

Good questions!

They don't interview immediately for employment, since all interns are returning to school in the fall, but they did make a database of intern resumes which they said they'll use when looking for other jobs, and your resume is put in the disneycareers system (though you probably are already there if you applied). You also get contacts from your interviewer and mentor, and they have several events about 'what comes next' if you want to stay at Disney, giving you more connections. Some people who really worked it, like a friend of mine who was an intern in financing who met with all of the VPs in his division. I mostly just talked to people through the events and in my group.

I think applying to animation is a bit different, because my friend who worked there had help through them for housing, when the general summer associate program doesn't do that. They also are looking at your portfolio, so that aspect is different - I didn't have to give a portfolio, I just talked about my experience in my interview. I lived in Pasadena with a family friend, which was fantastic since Pasadena is really nice. If you get in, I recommend looking in Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena. A lot of Pasadena is ritzy, but Caltech is there so there's probably a lot of summer sublets from college students.

This is what my application and interview process was like:

I applied in December - the position was put up on DisneyCareers.com in October - through DisneyCareers.com.
Then I waited, and waited, and waited.
In early March, I got a call from someone in the HR department saying that they had liked my resume and wanted to interview me. We scheduled an interview time for a few days later, for a half hour phone interview.
I had my interview with somebody in HR. She then looked through the positions I was qualified for and passed my resume on to two she thought would be a good fit. Then I had to wait to see if they wanted to interview me.
Over the next two weeks I was called and emailed to set up the phone interviews - one took longer to schedule than the other, because they schedule it around the groups time. You're interviewed by the mentor or group you will be working with all summer.
I interviewed with both groups. One interview went really well, one not so much.
I heard back from the HR person I first interviewed with, who had kept in touch the whole time, asking how my interviews had gone and everything, and she told me that the second group had passed, but the first group chose me! Woot!

After that it was just a lot of planning out your schedule for the summer, filling out paperwork, and wishing school would end faster. I exchanged a couple emails with people in my group before I got out there, but not much. (They were great, by the way. If any of you ended up in their group you'll be super lucky.)

I'm not sure how competitive all the programs are, but I know that for the position I got, they interviewed seven people. That was after the first interview where my resume was sent there, and my impression was that they get given resumes of more candidates than they end up interviewing. So, fairly competitive, at least where I applied. Since they take people in all different areas, I bet some are more popular than others.

Good luck with your application!

[dispatch]

If I complete a PI in Spring '08, would I be able to do the associate program during Summer '08?

[spbink]

I assume so. You'd just have to make sure your application is in and you're available for the interviews.

There are no prerequisite Disney programs for the internships, so if you've never worked for the company you've got as good a chance as anybody else. If you're worried about the school requirement part, as long as you plan to return to college the fall after the internship then what you do the semester before doesn't matter.

[passporterfan13]

Wow, thank you so much for posting this. I would never have known about it otherwise. Firstly what is PI? I keep hearing about it and am utterly lost. Secondly, I live and go to college in Canada. Do you think that will make a difference? I really would like to do this maybe as my co-op requirement (I am taking Travel and Tourism Management).

[spbink]

PI is Professional Internship. Those internships are usually in the park. Here's the official page (http://disney.go.com/disneycareers/internships/home.html). They're usually more involved than the college program - if you're studying Travel and Tourism Management, this is probably what you want to apply for instead of doing the college program.

The internship I did was at the Disney Studio, so I'm guessing it's not quite what you'd want out of a program (although they did have an Event Planning internship - I had a friend who did that if you decide it's right for you - I could put you in touch with her to ask question). There were also interns in Parks and Resorts, mostly in Imagineering, and that might be something that would be helpful to you. I'd search for "intern" or "internship" on disneycareers.com (http://www.disneycareers.com) and see what comes up that looks interesting.

I'm almost positive that being a US resident is not a requirement. It say under the requirements for a given position if it is though.

[passporterfan13]

Thanks :D. And if you could that would be great. Event Planning is acctually exactly what I want to go into when I am done school.

[spbink]

I'll send an email off to her now :thumbsup2

If you want to know more about the PIs, I'm sure there are better people to ask on this board. I didn't do one, so I'm not 100% sure what opportunities you have there, and there might be things they do that would be perfect for you too.

[ruthybaby]

hey

i am approaching 21 years of age, a 3rd year due to graduate this year from portsmouth university in the UK
i want to work at disney this summer but am approaching graduation and would like to work for 3 months at disney after i graduate so would be rather late around august time, but i worked in philadelphia last year so would like to work in california if possible, and plan to travel around california and maybe elsewhere before returning to the UK. I could only come across internships and i wanderd if this was available. can you help me.

Ruthy

reply to ruthybaby_86@hotmail.co.uk

[spbink]

Well this internship would not be available to you, because they only take students who still have at least a semester left of school. If you've already graduated, you won't be able to do this internship. Sorry!


In other news, they've started accepting resumes for next summer. Here's the information (To see the specific area listings, type that number into the keyword search on disneycareers and it will come up):

SUMMER 2008

UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

The Walt Disney Studios encompasses the creation, production, promotion, sales, acquisition and domestic and international distribution of live-action and animated motion pictures, videocassette and DVD releases, live stage plays, and music and soundtrack recordings

We are offering an exciting Summer Associate Program, providing Undergraduate students a hands-on opportunity working in the entertainment industry. This highly competitive program brings together students from around the country with diverse backgrounds and focuses on creating an educational experience for them at the Studio.

Eligibility: This program is open to all undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in school and have completed their sophomore year. Students must be returning to school in the Fall to be eligible.

Length: Assignments will last approximately 10-12 weeks during Summer 2008.

Location: Burbank and Glendale, California. Students must provide their own housing and transportation.

Compensation: Associate positions are full time, paid employment opportunities plus a 20% merchandise discount.

Qualifications: Hiring decisions are based on your major field of study, past work/internship experience, and extracurricular activities. We are looking for people who will make the most of this great opportunity.

How to apply: We are currently accepting resumes. Please go to www.disneycareers.com to apply. We have opportunities available in the following areas:

Accounting/ Finance: Keyword search: 116009

Production: Keyword search: 116010

Marketing/Publicity/Special Events: Keyword search: 116011

Legal/ HR: Keyword search: 116012

IT/ New Technology: Keyword search: 116559

Operations/Supply Chain: Keyword search: 116560

[DisneyGirl421]

That sounds awesome!
I'm so jealous that you got to know Dave Smith... One of my dream jobs is to work with Disney Archives...

[bdd1155]

I enjoyed reading your posts about the Disney Summer Associate Program in Burbank.

I actually will be an undergrad intern this summer on the Lot and had the following questions:

-- What is the typical dress? Recruiter said 'business casual' like a button-down shirt and khakis.
-- What is the timeframe of the workday? 8 to 5 PM?
-- Do we eat lunch on the Lot?

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

[shastatikipunch]

Definitely something I'd like to do, but the fact that they don't provide housing is a big setback.

[lamagique]

Wow, I had never really heard of this. It's too late for me, but hopefully someone else will realize this great opportunity!

[ImMarcik]

I'm actually applying for this program for the spring! I just came across it on the Feature Animation site and thought I would try it out. I'm getting my portfolio ready to send this month, so hopefully I can get it. Did they have any opportunities for full time employment at the end or give you any info on getting a job with them? How did the process of getting into this program go? I know you said there were quite a few of you, but since I'm going into the animation portion, I'm just wondering how competitive it is.... Anywho, how long did it take for you to get an answer and it says on the site they help with relocation, did they help you? And where did you end up living??? Alot of questions I know, but I am curious since this is something I am really interested in.

This is what my dd is interested in going to school for. What is the site you found out the information?

[soundimagineer]

this is a great post. i have been doing so much research trying to find out about this program, and this is the only helpful thing i've found! I'm so happy to hear what a good time you had. My goal has been to work for the studios for so long!

I'm applying for summer 2009 in post production. Has anyone else ever worked in the studios in a production of post production position?

[3redhedgirls]

You go girl! :cheer2: Reach for the stars

[spbink]

this is a great post. i have been doing so much research trying to find out about this program, and this is the only helpful thing i've found! I'm so happy to hear what a good time you had. My goal has been to work for the studios for so long!

I'm applying for summer 2009 in post production. Has anyone else ever worked in the studios in a production of post production position?

I'm glad it was helpful! I wasn't in post-production, but I definitely recommend applying for the program. It was such a great summer, everything else has trouble measuring up :lovestruc

[anijac1412]

Maybe you can help me, I've been looking for a way to get my foot in the door at Disney for a while now, but I'm Canadian, so I have a few setbacks... The only thing I could find was the International College Program...

Do you know if this internship program takes in Canadians? I am majoring in computer sci. / IT (I'm in my third year and still have a full year left), so an opportunity like the one you got would be absolutely AMAZING!

Any info and tips you have would be greatly appreciated! :)

[joepic]

This is fantastic. You don't know how happy I am to have discovered this post.

My dream is to become an Imagineer, and I am so excited to read through your experiences with the internship. It gives me insight to what I'll hope to experience throughout my college career. I hope to graduate with a degree in Computer Science, or somewhere along the line. Always knowing much about computers and technology, I always hoped there were opportunities like this with Disney. Especially an IT internship for the Studios. What a fantastic experience.

Thanks again!

[spbink]

Maybe you can help me, I've been looking for a way to get my foot in the door at Disney for a while now, but I'm Canadian, so I have a few setbacks... The only thing I could find was the International College Program...

Do you know if this internship program takes in Canadians? I am majoring in computer sci. / IT (I'm in my third year and still have a full year left), so an opportunity like the one you got would be absolutely AMAZING!

Any info and tips you have would be greatly appreciated! :)

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it! :cloud9:

[pinch]

Awesome :)
I'm applying soon ish for Storyboarding this summer 2009.

If you can let me know of anymore of your experiences/if you have a blog about it, etc then please let me know - I'm very interested!

Was it hard getting accomodation? Was your accomodation nearby to the studios? Was it pricey?

Did you make much money out of the experience or did you just break even? :D

I'm in the UK currently, so if I get in it's going to be verrry scaryyyy, wish me luck x

[joepic]

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it! :cloud9:

Thanks! :goodvibes

Good luck to you too! :)

[mdewater]

Hi everybody!

I was really happy to find this post! I'm a freshman in college right now and so I'm hoping to apply to the Animation Studio Associate Program in a few years. I've done as much research as I possibly can... searching through pages and pages of google searches about everything Disney, Disney animation, Disney internships... I'm pretty much at the point where all I have left to do is to try and actually contact people about their experiences and hopefully learn something from them.

Is there anyone here who has already done the animation program? If so is there any way anyone could give some portfolio examples? And when you're accepted, do they tell you what they especially liked? Or if you're rejected, do they give you any tips for applying again? Basically any info would be greatly appreciated. And to all you who are planning on applying, keep us all updated!! I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I would like to know how it goes every step of the way!

Thanks and good luck to everyone applying! :)

[ibaw]

I have been looking for information about this program and am so glad I found this post. I have applied for the Summer 2009 program and was wondering if anyone else has.... (i am having a hard time getting information and wanted to know if anyone else was in the same boat!!)

Thanks!!!!

[evelynr0se]

hey spbink,

I'm doing a PI right now too! It's in Corporate, so it's a full-year one, and I'm applying to Studios. I had one interview already, and my recruiter's looking for more for me!

I'm doing Credit & Collections in downtown Glendale, so it's not as glamorous but there are some cool perks too - like the Disney Family Holiday party!

I can help answer questions about Corporate internships :)

When did you work there? What are your plans for the future?

[soundimagineer]

I have been looking for information about this program and am so glad I found this post. I have applied for the Summer 2009 program and was wondering if anyone else has.... (i am having a hard time getting information and wanted to know if anyone else was in the same boat!!)

Thanks!!!!

I've applied for this summer as well in post production. I also found that finding information was ridiculously hard, and finally just made some phone calls and got in touch with the right people.

I got a voicemail today from the recruiter of walt disney studios in regards to my resume!! hopefully I'll get back in touch with her tomorrow. I hope it means interview, but we'll see.

[soundimagineer]

spbink,

if its ok, i would like to ask your first name. Gina, the recruiter for the studios, is curious to know who you are. i told her i found out all my information from this post, and she said she knew most of you guys. you don't have to post it on this board if you don't want to, but you can PM it to me.

thanks again for all your help and i'll keep everyone posted on how my interview goes.

[ibaw]

hey soundimagineer

i was wondering if you got any more information... or if you had an interview and if so how did it go?!?!?!?!

I am still curious about what they are saying about interviews and when they will make the decision. I am currently a cast member in Orlando and need to know what to tell my managers about the summer......:confused3

[soundimagineer]

hey soundimagineer

i was wondering if you got any more information... or if you had an interview and if so how did it go?!?!?!?!

I am still curious about what they are saying about interviews and when they will make the decision. I am currently a cast member in Orlando and need to know what to tell my managers about the summer......:confused3

Well, they are supposed to call me the beginning of this week (so I would assume tomorrow or wednesday) to schedule my phone interview with the department that is interested. As soon as it happens I will let you guys know how it went. I haven't really heard any more general information. I had my initial interview that was just the recruiter asking me basic questions like why I wanted to work for the company (i mean, honestly..) and where I found out about it (I said here:) ). Basics about my experiences with the software I listed on my resume, and generally chatted a little. They had me fill out all that legal paperwork already and an employee registration or application or some kind of form like that. I've been on set all day today for a student film I was working on, and I was so nervous they would call. Then I realized it was president's day and most likely not in the office.

I heard that they make their final decisions in March? Don't hold me to that, I could be wrong, but I want to say I heard that. It makes me a little nervous because I'm weird about not planning everything far enough ahead, so I'm eager to look for housing, but I don't want to jinx myself and find out I don't get it once I get everything organized. But I've been in close touch with the recruiter. We email like once every two days.

I don't know if any of that helped. But I'll keep posting when I find out new things that may be helpful. And I'll rush to the boards as soon as I get off the phone with them this week! cross your fingers!

[MAH4546]

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it! :cloud9:

To apply for the program, like most any paid job in the United States, somebody must be able to legally work in the U.S. There is no citizenship requirement, but to get the appropriate work visa, a student must either have a green card or be enrolled at a U.S. school.

For somebody who lives outside the United States and does not go to school in the U.S., the program is unavailable to them, because Disney will not sponsor a work visa for a summer program. Although Disney (and Pixar, which has a separate summer program) is one of the nice ones, because they will take international students that can get the proper work requirements on their own. Most studios require U.S. citizenship.

Like all major studios in Los Angeles (I work at a studio, albeit not Disney, that runs a similar program for graduate and undergraduates), Disney is extremely snobbish about schools. Typically Disney want students from universities ranked in the top 25 (Harvard, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, etc.) or local Southern California-area schools with strong programs in relevant fields (i.e. Loyola Marymount for animaton; Southwestern Law for legal). It's unfortunate that the name of the degree matters so much, but it does.

[pinch]

Arghhhh the deadline is in a month tomorrow, and I still have tonnes of work to do and the work deadline for my degree stuff is the SAME DAY! What are the pigging chances?

I've also got to figure out this VISA business. I'm in the UK so I'd need to get some sort of intern visa/summer visa but it's $131 us dollars (£90 to me! not cheap!) but it seems I have to have this already before I even apply!
What if I don't get it? Then surely I've wasted £90? Ahhhhhh..
I've emailed the submissions people so hopefully they'll get back to me.

If anyone's got any suggestions on this topic then please please let me know as soon as you can, cheers

If anyone knows any email addresses that are going to get me an answer faster then please let me know too. I wouldn't mind a phone number but then it would cost me a heck of a lot since I'm not in the U.S.

[MAH4546]

Arghhhh the deadline is in a month tomorrow, and I still have tonnes of work to do and the work deadline for my degree stuff is the SAME DAY! What are the pigging chances?

I've also got to figure out this VISA business. I'm in the UK so I'd need to get some sort of intern visa/summer visa but it's $131 us dollars (£90 to me! not cheap!) but it seems I have to have this already before I even apply!
What if I don't get it? Then surely I've wasted £90? Ahhhhhh..
I've emailed the submissions people so hopefully they'll get back to me.

If anyone's got any suggestions on this topic then please please let me know as soon as you can, cheers

If anyone knows any email addresses that are going to get me an answer faster then please let me know too. I wouldn't mind a phone number but then it would cost me a heck of a lot since I'm not in the U.S.

It's expensive, but call Disney on the phone and ask if they accept students with a valid J1 Visa. The majority (99%+) of studioss will not accept J1 Visas for summer interns.

[pinch]

It's expensive, but call Disney on the phone and ask if they accept students with a valid J1 Visa. The majority (99%+) of studioss will not accept J1 Visas for summer interns.

Are J1's cheaper though?

It's just my problem is do I have to purchase a Visa before I've even got a place confirmed? I don't want to waste my money.

[MAH4546]

Are J1's cheaper though?

It's just my problem is do I have to purchase a Visa before I've even got a place confirmed? I don't want to waste my money.

J1 is the only kind of visa that will allow you to work a summer internship in the U.S. as a foreign student.

Check this out:
http://www.interexchange.org/internship/index.html

Unfortunately, you will most likely have risk putting down some money before getting an offer.

However, again, contact Disney and find out. Some studios do not care, and are willing to hire before the visa is received. However, that also means you should be applying sooner rather than later to give you a longer window to apply and receive a J1.

[pinch]

J1 is the only kind of visa that will allow you to work a summer internship in the U.S. as a foreign student.

Check this out:
(URL)

Unfortunately, you will most likely have risk putting down some money before getting an offer.

However, again, contact Disney and find out. Some studios do not care, and are willing to hire before the visa is received. However, that also means you should be applying sooner rather than later to give you a longer window to apply and receive a J1.

Thanks for the information :)

I emailed Disney Submissions and I'm still waiting on a response from them, but in the mean time I phoned up the American Embassy and they said that I cannot apply for an internship visa without confirmation of a place and the correct documentations to show them.

So that's a little clearer, so I suppose Disney will just have to accept my forms without the visa no's for now.

[evelynr0se]

Like all major studios in Los Angeles (I work at a studio, albeit not Disney, that runs a similar program for graduate and undergraduates), Disney is extremely snobbish about schools. Typically Disney want students from universities ranked in the top 25 (Harvard, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, etc.) or local Southern California-area schools with strong programs in relevant fields (i.e. Loyola Marymount for animaton; Southwestern Law for legal). It's unfortunate that the name of the degree matters so much, but it does.

What do you mean? I'm from UCLA, and there are a lot of interns from USC, and I find most of the people I know are from non-top 25 schools such as CSUN and Cal Poly's. I'm not disputing this - I'm just wondering what your source was, because I'm really inclined to believe this but I haven't found it to be true.

[MAH4546]

What do you mean? I'm from UCLA, and there are a lot of interns from USC, and I find most of the people I know are from non-top 25 schools such as CSUN and Cal Poly's. I'm not disputing this - I'm just wondering what your source was, because I'm really inclined to believe this but I haven't found it to be true.

CSUN and the Cal Poly's are local area schools, which I included.

I work at a studio (not Disney). We usually throw away resumes that are not from Top-25 schools or from within California.

[bonjourlove]

So feel free to ask me questions! If I don't know the answer, I can ask somebody. And sorry this got so long :o

spbink, this has been so entirely helpful. i've been trying to find more information on the summer program. i am currently in the disney college program and i would love to work the studio program. my mentors say it will be a lot easier for me to get in since i am already under the company. is there an email where i can contact you to ask more questions? i don't know how to use this message board haha but if there is a PM somewhere, you can send it through there. please help! thanks so much :)

[tracytreasure]

Hey! I just saw this post, and im really trying to get a summer internship at Disney. But i cant see any of the summer internship positions under the 'apply for position' option. is it that the positions are not yet out for the summer program?
also, im applying to be either an animator, a storyboard artist or a visual development artist. Seeing that im only a sophomore, do i have to be absolutely great at animations or are they simply looking for people with interest and talent.
Again, im a bit nervous about the reel portfolio submission. Did you need to turn in any one? and what were the kind of things you put together?

[spbink]

On the Studios' internship website (http://studios.disneycareers.com/en/students-recent-grads/overview/) it says that internships will be posted on November 15th.

The position I had wasn't an artistic one, so I didn't have to submit a portfolio, but I'd say do the best you can! Be sure that your cover letter shows that you are passionate about the field and eager to learn. I'm sure that any portfolio is better than none - if they see your potential, they are more likely to take a chance on you. One time I had to go through some applicants for an internship and I definitely ranked the ones with cover letters above the ones who just sent resumes, because the letters told me why they wanted to do the internship and it highlighted the work they had done that would relate to the job. I'm sure having a portfolio is the same for artistic people. If they can't see any of your work, they'll probably assume the worst, not the best.

Remember that internships are learning experiences. Nobody will expect you to do professional quality work when you're still in school - that's why you're going for an internship in the first place! :rotfl:

[heaven2dc]

I just found this thread and after reading the original post, I am excited about applying for the undergraduate internship position. I applied 2 days ago and now two of my applications show "in progress" which I hope is a good sign. These two are for the Undergraduate Intern, ABC Entertainment Group for Spring 2012 and the other is for Undergraduate Intern, Casting also for Spring 2012.

I am very new to this whole process and am very excited too! I hope to receive an email or phone call for an interview. Has anyone else on the Disboards ever worked as an undergraduate intern at ABC Entertainment? When I applied, the application didn't ask for a cover letter but when I looked over my submitted resume, there was a place to submit one. Did anyone else submit a cover letter with their resume and application? (sorry for all of the questions!)

[spbink]

Good luck with your application!

I did include a cover letter, and I always recommend including one. Anything you can do to make yourself stand out and highlight why you'd be a good choice for the position over all the other people submitting resumes is important. Not all HR people will read them, but I've looked over resumes before and I always end up ranking the ones with cover letters higher because the applicant tells me why they want the position and why they would be good at the position. On ones with just resumes, I have to try to pull those details out myself out of past experience that isn't always directly related to the job. Not that you can't get a job without a cover letter, I just feel it helps :)

Also, when I applied for my internship in 2007, I sent in my application in December and didn't hear back until the end of February. So don't worry if you don't hear back right away!

[heaven2dc]

Thanks spbink! I will write a cover letter this morning and submit it as sort of a general one that will outline my strengths and why I want to work for Disney/ABC Entertainment. I hope to hear from them soon - I can't imagine how all of you went through the waiting game so patiently!

[princessemily21]

Thanks spbink! I will write a cover letter this morning and submit it as sort of a general one that will outline my strengths and why I want to work for Disney/ABC Entertainment. I hope to hear from them soon - I can't imagine how all of you went through the waiting game so patiently!

I'm applying for an ABC Studios New York internship for this coming summer. Best of luck to you!

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi spbink! I just found this thread, and I'm definitely planning on applying to the Disney Studios undergraduate summer internship. I was just wondering if I should include my cover letter with the whole application, or if I should send it in after (I haven't made it all the way through the 10-step application because I don't want to hit submit by mistake haha). I know my resume has to be included - should I include my cover letter in the same document?

Thanks so much - I'd love to work for Disney this summer! :goodvibes

[spbink]

I'd keep the two documents separate. There should be a way to submit both documents to the same job listing on the site, but I haven't had to use the new disneyjobs site since I already work for the company :rotfl:

Good luck with your application! Working for Disney is definitely a great way to spend a summer :thumbsup2

[bhamp09]

Hello everyone,

I am in the second phase of the interview process for the Disney Summer Associate Program. I interviewed initially with a recruiter in early November and applied online as well. I kept in contact with my recruiter and now the scheduling manager has set me up with an interview with the Creative Music and Soundtrack Department next week. I am very excited and hope to do well on the interview.
I have some questions for "@Spbink": How did your interview go with the department? What sorts of things did the hiring manager or department ask you?

Also, I read in your earlier post that housing is in parts of Burbank, Glendale/Pasadena and also Cal Tech. Do you know how much the average cost for housing would cost for 3 months in that area? I am just asking because I will be traveling from Atlanta and trying to get a feel on how much apartments cost and is the housing decent in those areas. A lot of people say look on craigslist and padlooker.com but I wanted to ask someone that was familiar with that area as well.

I am trying to prepare myself for next week's interview and hopefully things go well!

Thanks

Bhamp09

[spbink]

I have some questions for "@Spbink": How did your interview go with the department? What sorts of things did the hiring manager or department ask you?
I interviewed with two teams, and they were very different. Each were interviewing about eight people for the position. I was applying for programming positions, so my experience may be different from what you'll get.

The first group did a Google-style interview, where they asked me some brain teasers to see how I solved them. One was how many degrees between the hour and minute hands of a clock at 3:15. Then we just talked some about my previous programming experience, and what their department did, and the usual stuff. There were probably a few "What is your biggest weakness?" typical interview questions.

The second group was a lot more intense - they were asking really technical programming questions, using jargon, etc. The interviewer seemed almost argumentative. It may have been he just wasn't good with people, or because I was the last one they interviewed and he already had a first choice from people they had interviewed before.

Anyway, if it isn't obvious, I ended up working with the first group :thumbsup2

Also, I read in your earlier post that housing is in parts of Burbank, Glendale/Pasadena and also Cal Tech. Do you know how much the average cost for housing would cost for 3 months in that area? I am just asking because I will be traveling from Atlanta and trying to get a feel on how much apartments cost and is the housing decent in those areas. A lot of people say look on craigslist and padlooker.com but I wanted to ask someone that was familiar with that area as well.
When I was out here, I lived with a friend and my rent was about $850. But normally for a roommate it would probably cost less - I was in a fancy area of Pasadena.

Gina, our recruiter, made an email list for all incoming interns, so a lot of people found people to live with through that. Your best bet is probably going to be looking for a summer sublet in the Caltech area, or maybe up around Burbank airport. I'd expect to spend $400-$700 a month if you have a roommate, $800-$1200 if you don't. Of course, depending on your living standards, you can always find a dirt cheap place. It wouldn't be very pleasant though :laughing:

Good luck with your interviews next week! Be sure to let us know how it goes! :goodvibes

[bhamp09]

Thank You!! My interview is going to be Friday and I will be taking all of your suggestions into account when I am preparing myself for it. I will let you know how it goes on Friday night! Thanks

[bhamp09]

Hey guys. My interview two weeks ago went great!!:cool1:
My interviewer and I really connected and everything went well.
She stated that there would be a third interview again though with the Office of President in the next two weeks. So, the storm is not over yet. Has anybody else had their interview yet?? If so, what department??

[soft_spell]

I'm assuming it's way too late to apply for this, right???;)

[charmingbubble21]

Hi all!
I applied for the Undergraduate Studios Internship in January and after my phone screen for a professional internship, my dashboard showed that I am currently "in-progress". I noticed that people have already had interviews, so I am wondering if I still have a good chance if I have not been called for an interview?

I want to go into the Marketing, Publicity, Promotions or Event internships at the studios. I did a College Program in Orlando, Florida in 2010 and I am currently a Campus Representative. I also have completed 4 other internships in the marketing, publicity, promotions fields. Does anyone have any tips and advice? Do I still have a chance or should I just give up? Any information would be SO helpful!

[JazMaz09]

Hey guys. My interview two weeks ago went great!!:cool1:
My interviewer and I really connected and everything went well.
She stated that there would be a third interview again though with the Office of President in the next two weeks. So, the storm is not over yet. Has anybody else had their interview yet?? If so, what department??


I noticed that you said you were in Atlanta! So am I!

I just completed my interview with the recruiter about 3 weeks ago and i have my interview with a department next week!

*Crosses Fingers*

Are you in school out here?
And If I am accepted into the program, I will need housing as well. Have you started looking at places?

[bhamp09]

@JazMaz09 That's great!! Nice to see a fellow ATLien on the board lol
And no I am in school in Washington, D.C currently but my home is in Atlanta but I did attend to Georgia State University for a minute until I transfered. What department did you interview with? And as far as housing I am starting to search now at Cal Tech University for any housing they have available in the summer and checking the prices at padlocker.com as well.

[KingK12]

This is a pretty good program. My brother got accepted in 2010 and he loved every minute of it!:cool1:

[kitson]

Wow! What a great program!