DCP Adventure - From Application to Graduation

[aly58991]

Hello Disney Friends! I am starting this thread in order to keep track of my journey through DCP applications to the very end at our graduation.

UPDATE 1/17 I have been chosen to write and publish a book entitled Alyssa Earns Her Ears published by theme park press!! look out for it at the end of 2014!!!!

JUST JOINING IN? Catch up!! Jump to Where you Want to Read!

[post=50434556]Applications![/post]
[post=50434789]Phone Interview!...and Results....[/post]
[post=50435049]Character Performer AUDITIONS![/post]
[post=50435512]My Bucket List (SO FAR!) *reply with your suggestions![/post]





THE CAST

Lets start off by introducing me! My name is Alyssa, (Aly works too!) I am 22 years old, and just graduated with my BS in Television production and AS in television news at Lyndon State College in Vermont! I loved my school, but holy cannolli was it COLD I am definitely ready for the florida sun! I will be traveling down to the program alone on a plane from Massachusetts, I have lived in Massachusetts my entire life, aside from my time at college. Disney has always been an escape for me, while I had never been able to make a visit down there until May of 2012, I was always into singing and performing, and even just for practice at home you would always find me belting out Disney songs. Also I always found myself able to relate to disney movies, Disney princesses never had the average family situations and neither did I. My mother passed away when I was 8 years old, so I always found myself able to relate to some of the song lyrics at the very least, and its always made me smile. I have been on my own doing things for a long time, my brother has severe autism, so with my dad being a single parent for all of this time, all of the attention has rightfully been on my brother. However, because of that, it has always taken the light off of the amazing things I have accomplished in my life. I was the first person in my family to ever graduate from college. I was accepted into the disney college program, and no one in my family really sees the significance in any one of those things. But hey, life moves on. Just because I am not noticed doesn't mean I am not important! So because of this ongoing trend with my family, music has always been an escape for me, so Disneys Music just kind of worked out nicely. My favorite park is magic kingdom, it holds so much amazing history and I cant wait to explore every inch of it, both on stage and back stage! I LOVE TAKING PHOTOS! So be sure to follow my instagram account to see any photos that I will be taking while on my disney adventure! My username is aly58991 , SAME THING ON TWITTER! so feel free to follow me! I promise you will not be disappointed with all of my disney updates once I check in! I also plan to keep a vlog on youtube! I am embarking on my adventure January 19th, check in is on January 20th and I will be down there until at least August 8th! I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the Spring Advantage program, so I will be there the entire spring semester + the summer! and plus, I cant wait to get there and start! and I REALLY hope that disney will open a new door for me!


Next on the cast list is my wonderful amazing supportive boyfriend Kevin! Kevin just got a new job in New York, which is GREAT... but it stinks. Because it will make having him come to disney and come visit THAT much more difficult...but its ok. Kevin and I have done a long distance relationship for almost 2 years now, so hopefully this challenge of being much farther away will not be too difficult, We will just have to make every moment count that we can if/when we can come visit. (And to all wondering what his new job is, he is a meteorologist, so blame him for all of this very cold weather the entire country is experiencing =p ) We have been in a long distance relationship really from the start of our relationship almost 2 years ago, because I have been at school in Vermont, so hopefully this wont be too much of an adjustment. But I always know that Kevin is one of the most supportive and caring people that has ever been in my life, so I know he will be there to help me, no matter where he is!


Up next is my Roommate! Katie! I havent actually met Katie yet, since our check in date isnt until th 20th, but I can already tell we will be great friends! I met her on the DCP Facebook group, and we really talk every day, more than me and most of my other friends talk in person, which I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing for my social life...but that's OK! I am super excited to meet her and I am sure we are going to have loads of disney adventures!


This is all for now, but MORE will be added on as I go through my DCP Adventure! Stay tuned!

NEXT CHAPTER: THE APPLICATIONS!

 

[aly58991]

This part of the thread will be the most exciting for me to write, because I LOVE researching like a madwoman. And believe me, when I was considering applying for the DCP, I researched everything from what kind of questions they ask during the Web Based Interview (WBI), to what you should have prepared for the WBI, how many minutes in between when you should get each email that will bring you along in the process, I was researching like crazy because I wanted to be prepared for every possible scenario. I eventually realized I was over-preparing (thank goodness ) so I was able to focus on my studies and just have fun with the application process! This actually is not the first time I was going to apply for the Disney College Program, I actually applied during the fall of 2012, and got accepted for Spring Advantage 2012 as an Attractions Cast Member! But, things were just not good at the time...there were a lot of things going on in my life personally, with family, my ex boyfriend, and just issues with things happening at home, and I just was not ready to walk away from it all. Also, I figured it would be a good idea to finish up my degree first, and then pursue my Disney Dreams! I was always hopeful that my career path would end in a Disney Career, so I knew if I started Disney back in 2012, I would never have gone back to school to complete my degree. So I turned down my offer and gave it to the next CP that was waiting for a slot. I hope they had a great time!

A year or so passed, and I had honestly forgotten about the Disney College Program, then one day At the end of my Spring semester in 2013, I started realizing how I was really regretting not accepting my offer at the Disney College Program. How many opportunities I had been missing, and really....I was realizing how much I missed being at Disney World. And in May, while planning out my final semester at Lyndon, I happened to notice that a colleague from Lyndon was actually participating at the DCP as a Character Attendant! (its a small world after all i suppose ). I then started chatting with him, and realized how badly I knew I wanted to go back to Disney, I had only been one time in May of 2012, and it was the most magical trip of my life! And I knew I wanted to help others have the same incredible experiences that I had while I was a guest down there. So at that point, while I should have been working on my final papers, I joined the DCP Spring 2014 Facebook group, and started socializing with all of the hopefuls. It was a wonderful feeling, being apart of a group that all had the same passions as me. Post after post on facebook, hour after hour of sitting mindlessly at my computer , I KNEW I had to go back to Disney. And the DCP would be the best way to do it.

Timing wise, it worked out nicely, when I originally turned down my offer in Spring 2012, I said I had wanted to go back the semester after I graduated college, which was the Spring of 2014! So I then decided I would start researching. I HAD to get back in, I couldn't chance getting rejected! But I was confident, I had gotten accepted before... I could get accepted again...right?

I watched vlogs on youtube, read countless blogs online, read books among books and as much as I could just to get my brain in Disney mode. And I kept going and going and then realized....what roles am I going to try for! My heart wanted Photopass, VERY badly. As a TV Production major, I spent a lot of time with video cameras, but never really enough with still cameras. And even in every day life, I LOVE to take photos (follow my instagram account... aly58991 (yes, shameless plug! ) Photo Pass was my number one, followed by character attendant and attractions. With character performer mixed in, I had always had a theater background, really its a dream to one day be a performer at Disney, but we will get to this part later!

So I joined this Facebook group in may, the entire summer passed, lots of drama on those Facebook groups. Bla. Almost made me leave many many many times, but I knew no matter what was going on over there, I was still passionate for Disney, so i would just deal with it. But at least through the Facebook group in June, I met Katie! Who is going to be my roommate! We became great friends very quickly! She too will be leaving her boyfriend at home, so it is nice to know that someone else understands the whole Long Distance Relationship thing. Went back to school in August, I knew that applications were going to be coming soon, so I had to be ready. I had all of these notes that I was going to have out for the interview, that I wrote out over and over and over. I had a sign on my door that said "SMILE" and "HAVE A MAGICAL DAY" just so I would always be in the Disney mindset ALL of the time. I needed to be ready. I needed to get accepted, because frankly, I have a great base set for me and my "future career" but I really didn't know what direction I wanted to go with my life, especially since at this time, Kevin didn't have a full time job yet.

One morning, September 5th 2013, woke up for my 8 am class, got ready like normal, walked all the way to class to find a sign on the door saying the class that day was cancelled. I was not happy! So I walked all the way back from my room, got back into bed to sleep a couple of more hours, to get frantic texts from Katie "APPS ARE OUT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP", so I shrieked! I was so excited...ITS FINALLY HERE!

Grabbed my computer, took a deep breath, and went to find the application. I was happy, because since I have applied for the program before, as well as other jobs through the disney dashboard, most of my information was already punched in. Filled out everything, put interest for which roles I had my heart set on, and off the application went! As soon as I pushed the final 'submit'....I WAS AN ABSOLUTE NERVOUS WRECK! But I knew, if it was meant to be....it will be! An hour or so after I submitted my application, I got an invitation to take my web based interview! I was super happy, and I was grateful that I knew what to expect, it was fairly similar to the last time i took the Web Based interview, but all of the people who had never applied for the program before on the facebook group were FREAKING OUT. I admit, it was probably very scary the first time I applied to, but some need to realize there is really no "right" answer to some of these questions, just be yourself!

So after I got through my Web Based Interview, (WBI), I was invited to take my phone interview. I was so excited and was feeling blessed because many on the facebook group that applied around the same time as I did hadnt even gotten their WBI yet. But I knew I had to stay positive for myself, I went ahead and scheduled my phone interview 2 days later, September 7th!

NEXT POST - THE PHONE INTERVIEW! stay tuned!!

 

[aly58991]

After I had found out when my phone interview was going to be, I immediately went into panic mode! I knew I was ready, and there was only so much I could do besides try my best, but I was still VERY scared!

The morning of my interview, on September 7th, I gathered all of my stuff including my notes, my computer, and my lucky vinylmation into the office I use at work. Nice and quiet spot! And patiently waited for my phone to ring. My interview was scheduled at 2:00 PM on that day, 2:00 came...but no phone call. I was PANICKING. "What if I put the wrong phone number, What if my service in this office isn't good enough for a phone call" 40 minutes later, I finally got my phone call from a woman named Michelle! We started chatting, just the basic small talk, and I learned that she actually went to college a few miles away from my current college! It was very nice to talk to someone who understood the area. Proceeded on with the interview, and overall, I think it went GREAT! What a relief, after that interview was over. I knew I had done everything that I could, now it was all in Disney's hands. All I knew at that point was, I was so happy that was over...now I could actually focus on my school work!

A week passed, hadn't heard anything back yet, but I was not alone, because no one else had heard back either. Almost another full week had passed, and I was getting anxious, but still not too nervous because no one else had heard of any acceptances yet, however there were some who were already placed under "No Longer In Consideration" or NLIC. The facebook group was flowing with angry people who didn't even get a shot to get a web based interview. I felt awful! But grateful. Then Kevin came up to Vermont to visit on the 18th, I couldn't be happier. FINALLY, a distraction from checking my email every 5 minutes!

September 20th, I was at work, I work as a museum host at my college, I am a kind of a big history nerd. So then I felt my phone buzz, and it was an email from disney....I GOT ACCEPTED

I was BEYOND excited, especially to find out that I was accepted as an attractions cast member again! And I was jumping for joy because I got accepted for the Spring Advantage program, things couldnt possibly get any better!



From this point on, I got to start preparing for the biggest adventure of my life. I cant believe it , I am finally participating in the Disney College Program. Something I have wanted to do for years! Since I am from Massachusetts, I had to get my plane ticket all booked, and figure out how in the world I am going to get 8 months worth of stuff into 1 suitcase and 1 carry on. Hmmm...that alone will be an adventure!

I messaged Katie online, hoping that we could both be excited about getting accepted....but....she hadn't heard yet whether or not she had gotten accepted. So my excitement immediately diminished. I was a nervous wreck again. A week passed, and each day we hoped and hoped, until one day... Katie finally got an email....but she had been pended. Along with many others that day. (In case you are unaware, being 'pended' isnt necessarily a bad thing, but it is just for those who they are either not sure where to place in a role, or they need more information, or they need to see more applications to determine whether or not they will select you to participate in the program). So at that point, Katie was a little discouraged, but we were still hopeful.
FINALLY....one day...I got online to see a message from Katie, SHE GOT ACCEPTED! We both rejoiced, and immediately started making plans for what we were going to do the night we arrived, Fireworks and Dole Whips at the Polynesian. YUM! Ive never had one before, but I have heard they taste great!
I am really excited to be participating in the program with a roomate who has been to disney multiple times, it will help me find new places to explore and new adventures to take part in.

After everything finally settled down with acceptances and rejections and things, I started to focus more on myself and my program. I got the email about character performer auditions, and decided it would be a great thing to try, since I had been involved in musical theater for most of my life!

More about that....IN THE NEXT POST!

 

[aly58991]

I grew up in a small town, went to a very small high school. All I really was able to do around here was go outdoors, take dance classes and participate in local theater. Theater has always had a special spot in my heart, especially my love of singing and music and bringing it to the stage. When I found out that being a Character Performer was a role you could audition for within the Disney College Program, I was ecstatic!

I found an audition location that was near me, and made plans to go. I was very excited, especially since I am considered to be "mouse height" (which is under 5' 2") I stand at a whopping 4' 9 and 3/4 (yes. i take that 3/4 very seriously =p)

I actually went to the auditions in Hartford CT. I was very excited, because I knew at the very least, it would give me an opportunity to meet some people that were going to be participating in the DCP.

It was a very rainy morning, not so magical, but I knew being positive would make the experience of auditioning for Disney would bring enough magic! We arrived at the location, and WOW was it crowded, full of people who all had the same big dreams as me. It was overwhelming, almost scary. Looking around and seeing all of these other people who have danced for years, and then theres little old me. But I wouldn't let that stop me! I went in, got my number and was ready to dance! I even remember the song! 'A Star is Born' from Hercules! The routine was really fun! and I had a blast!! Unfortunately I got cut in the first round, but it was still a great experience, and I made some great new friends! Maybe I will audition again once I get down to disney, but then again, I am pretty happy with my Attractions role! We will have to wait and see! =]

NEXT POST: PREPARATION TO EMBARK ON MY JOURNEY

 

[aly58991]

Months have passed by since I have received my acceptance to the Disney College Program. And since then, I have been making lists, among lists, among lists, SO MUCH HAPPENING! And everything is really starting to set it now. I leave in 10 days. What a feeling.

In the past couple of weeks, I have started making a bucket list, of everything I would like to while on my DCP. I will be adding to this post throughout my program, because I am most certain that I will be coming up with more things to add to the list! and I will check them off as I complete each one!

Make Someones Day!
Go to all 4 parks in one day
Take as many backstage tours as I can!
Collect all of the Paper Fast Passes before the machines go away!
Ride every attraction (even the ones im afraid of)
Get a Photo with Every Character
Get a photo from every attraction that does ride photos
Meet a guest from all 50 states!
See every parade
eat at as many character dinners, if not all, as possible


Magic Kingdom
Eat a Dole Whip!
Collect all of the SOTMK cards!!!
Try the gray stuff! ( i heard its delicious! )
Get Galactic Hero on Buzz Lightyear SpaceRanger Spin!
See the castle suite
Buy a mickey balloon!
be "that guy" at the monsters inc laugh floor

Epcot
Illuminations!
Complete Agent P's World Showcase
Drink every pop from Club Cool
Eat and drink around the world!

Hollywood Studios
See every possible Star Tours Scenario
Be the Rebel Spy!

Animal Kingdom
Become a Wilderness Explorer!
See Finding Nemo The musical!
See Festival of the Lion King

OTHER!
Go to disney land!
Take a disney course
learn as much as i can about disney's history!
Go to universal

 

[tlenzendorf]

I came by chance to see what this board was about and am very excited to read about your adventures! Have a great time

 

[emilyindisney]

Subbing in!

After reading Jess' thread, I'm so excited that you've chosen to share your DCP dream with us too!

 

[aly58991]

Subbing in!

After reading Jess' thread, I'm so excited that you've chosen to share your DCP dream with us too!

Wow thanks Emily! Jess will be a tough act to follow, let's hope I do this right!!!!

 

[aly58991]

thanks for reading! feel free to share! i wasnt sure if i should put this in "the college board" or trip reports, i figured the step by step process may help some decide whether or not they want to do the program! thanks for reading!! =] =] =]

 

[crepemyrtle]

Congratulations Alyssa!!! Following along on your adventure

 

[aly58991]

Thank you for reading! =]

 

[anniebabymu]

Following along! I'm going to live your wonderful DCP journey through you Can't wait to hear about all your adventures!

 

[diznenut12]

Following along with you. My daughter did the program last year and loved every minute of it.