CP Alumni Question.....

[yitbos96bb]

There are many posts on the College Board about people going on the College Program. For those who have been on the program, how do you feel the experience has influenced your life since then? Interested in hearing the different responses!

I did 3 programs (Winter/Summer 1998, Summer 1999, and Winter 2000) and was DAK opening crew. I must say that the CP was a wonderful experience that affected my life positively. Having Disney on my resume has helped me get jobs, both part time retail and corporate level. It always is a great conversation piece and the different customer service and business practices you learn about come in handy out in the business world. I would still love to be able and go back and do it all again.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Just a quick question. I am really thinking about doing an intership for fall 06. Why is it when you talk to some peple they HATED it! that say the pay was bad, the hours were long and they wanted to come home early. But you talk to some other people and they liked it. Does the job have alot to with it?

Same reasons some people hate being away from home for college.

The hours can be long, and the pay is bad, but then even the Disney people will tell you this is not something you go down to earn money. Heck a lot of internships are completely unpaid. Some people just don't get into the Disney magic... it can get annoying if you aren't into it. Others miss home and Girlfriends, boyfriends etc. Still others don't like the plethora of rules involved with Disney and the CP.

It is a fabulous time. If you pay attention you learn a lot about service industry business, which will serve you well in any career interacting with people (so pretty much any career). The work can be boring and stressful, but other days you will have magical moments that just make the bad stuff go away. It also is a heck of a party down there as well... the stories I can tell (and most CPers) are not suitable for the boards... but I always like to say Animal House times 100.

As I have said, I would LOVE to have the chance to do it again. I really had a wonderful time and recommend it for everyone.

 

[yitbos96bb]

While I have never done an internship at Disney (though I've known two people who have) we do take on interns at our facility. Usually, the problems don't come from the job itself, but rather the interns' expectations. It's been many years since my college days but things haven't changed that much... One friend, Natalie, who went to Disney as a recreation major found herself weeding gardens her first few weeks. Simply put, she sucked it up and did her best -- putting in the time it required to make it perfect. Another girl she was paired with (a communications major) basically did the job, but didn't like it and it showed. You can guess which one was offered a job at the completion of their internship. I haven't talked with Natalie in quite a while, but I hear she's doing well with the Mouse (and she's not weeding gardens)...

Since you're all in college, you all know the basic facts of life -- First, Work is WORK, and fun is FUN (and if you get to combine the two, you're very lucky). Secondly, internships are more than just another form of semi-slave labor. They are a long-term test which is cruely designed to bring out the best and worst in people. They're like a military boot camp with less yelling, and fewer five mile runs at 04:30 (and hopefully are also devoid of the firearms). The point is, they are designed to seperate those people who can "get the job done with a smile on their face no matter the obsticles" versus those who are looking to "maybe learn something and just have a good time." Sure, even the "good timers" will have a story to tell, but they won't have a chance at a career.

The point being, if you're a communications major, chances are you probably won't be working on the next DTV video or other program. The problems aren't with the internship, they're with the expectations. Remember, this is a test -- will you do what it takes to be noticed (in a good way) or will you pout and exclaim "That's not what I'm supposed to be doing?" If you're the person doing the hiring, which person would you select -- Mr/Ms "Pitch in and get it done" or Mr/Ms "It's not my job"? The choice is easy, and the choice is yours.

I was a film major and my third Internship (an Advanced one) got me involved with that aspect of Disney... No it wasn't the stuff taking place in LA, but it was corporate video shoots, show taping etc. Helped me a lot and actually led to my first job after graduation (not with Disney). I got this by networking my first two CP. So What Servant of Evan says is true. And for those looking for work more along their major, many Advanced internships require CP participation first. Always think of the basic college program as a pre-internship. It can open a lot of doors for you both in and out of Disney.