re-posting in hope of advice
i keep getting mixed reviews off of this (obviously not from this site) but couple of things, realistically...
How are the networking abilities? I'm a business major looking to network obviously while down there so how realistic is it that I will actually make some good business connections in doing this and how many people that come out of this actually end up being able to get jobs with the company after college? Any advice?
The Disney Education Offices on each coast do a relatively good job of providing networking opportunities for College & International Program Cast Members. Many CPs do end up with some sort of status with this company after their programmes are complete, and many, but not all, parlay that into General Employment of some type with us.
However, at the same time, Networking, by it's very nature, is self-driven. We can provide all the opportunities in the world, but if you don't take the initiative, there really won't be any positive benefit. Indeed, many opportunities can arise outside of the formal structure provided by the Program
The biggest factor affecting your networking results is that the College & International Programs provide a very good opportunity for Participants to build a network within Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
The flipside of that is The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies, despite recent efforts to the contrary, is still a very segmentalized company, with distinct "silos", which while they do interact, still tend to maintain completely seperate structures. If your interests lay within WDP&R, it's all good and well. However, if your interests within Disney lay elsewhere (ex: Corporate, Disney Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Studios, Animation Studios, Pixar, ABC/ESPN etc.), you may be better off pursuing options that will get you in with those groups.
And even within our segment, almost all College & International Program offerings (including Classes and the like, though with the obvious exception of Housing), are available to regular-status Cast Members as part of our Professional Development offerings, so that's also something to take into consideration.
How do you like custodial? Is it easy/low stress or difficult and high pressure? I do it at school right now and love it because it's so easy. Do you get to talk to a lot of people? What has your experience been like?
Custodial Hosts and Hostess, like all Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Cast Members, are expected to act in a high-stress, fast-paced, guest service-oriented environment - it's the nature of our business. At the same time, it certainly isn't one of the more complicated roles we have in our show.
Custodial Hosts and Hostesses are among the first-line of contact our Guests turn to when they require assistance. Their visible presence in our Parks and Resorts and sheer numbers allow for a extremely amount of large, personalised Guest Interaction.
