DCP RETURNS!

The Disney College Program is coming back!

May 3, 2021
We are absolutely thrilled to share exciting news about the return of the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World® Resort this June!

Along with much of the world, we’re encouraged by the progress made possible by rising vaccination rates and recently revised guidance around health and safety measures. And while we’re seeing some additional positive signs, we still have a ways to go to a full recovery. This summer we are opening more Disney hotels, sports and convention groups are returning and we are reintroducing some of our guest-favorite offerings.

As our industry and community continue to bounce back, we have welcomed back thousands of cast members to work and have also restarted our recruitment efforts amid a tight labor market at Walt Disney World. Both of these measures are important indicators toward fully reopening our businesses and getting more people back to work.

Right now, we are also ready to welcome back students and are excited to announce the relaunch of the Disney College Program this June. We are inviting participants whose program ended early or was suspended in 2020 to reapply and join us. Today, May 3, these participants will receive exclusive communication via email about this exciting opportunity.

The Disney College Program has always been a source of optimism and pride for our company with participants who each bring new ideas, talents, and perspectives to the table. While that won’t change, we are evolving our Disney Programs to reflect the new world around us.

Applying to the Disney College Program will be even easier with a simplified application process, a concierge team of recruiters you can engage with on social media, and year-long arrival dates. We have temporarily modified some of our eligibility requirements so that many of you can still apply, even if you’ve already graduated. We’re also developing new ways for participants to shape their future careers, exploring a variety of roles and connecting with Disney professionals as they make magic.

We have also been thinking of other college and university students who may be eagerly awaiting their own Disney experience. Right now, we’re focused on bringing the Disney College Program back to Walt Disney World Resort and will have more to share about Disney International Programs, Disney Culinary Program, and those at Disneyland® Resort later. The good news is that there is much to come in the future of the program, and we can’t wait to share more information with you when that time comes. Keep an eye out here on the blog, follow us on social media, or opt-in for email updates to stay in the know.

We want you to know that we’re relaunching the Program in a thoughtful and responsible way, with the safety of our participants and our working cast always at the forefront of our planning, particularly as we consider a new approach to housing at the new, state-of-the-art Flamingo Crossings Village complex. Those who return to a program this summer will be the first participants to call this beautiful new community home.

Similar to what we’ve done to help reduce risk in our theme parks and resorts, we are also putting in place a combination of measures for our participants. Participants will receive pre-arrival communication regarding our enhanced safety measures, including updates that promote physical distancing, required face coverings in all common areas, and a new contactless, curbside move-in experience. Like many colleges and universities, we’re also modifying the occupancy of our units, giving fully vaccinated participants the opportunity to live with other fully vaccinated participants.

We’re looking forward to bringing you even more details in the coming days.

In the meantime, we are excited to share that Disney Programs has a new look! You may have noticed some changes right here on this blog page, but our website is also brand new. Our redesigned site offers a fresh look with user-friendly navigation and a streamlined approach. We are still committed to providing an accurate, up-to-date look at the Disney Programs, and sharing our knowledge and expertise to ensure you have the best experience possible. The goal of this redesign is to provide you with an easier way to learn about the Disney Programs and to browse for information based on your interests.

We’re eager to bring you lots of great information and stories, and one of the most exciting updates we have is our stunning new housing complex, Flamingo Crossings Village!

This incredible, state-of-the-art complex will surely dazzle and delight participants, adding to the holistic Disney Programs experience. The apartment complex offers a variety of amenities, including a resort-style pool, study areas, and fitness facilities!

This is just a glance at some of the reimagination that has been taking place with Disney Programs. We’re going to be sharing a lot of great information about experiencing, studying, and creating the magic, so make sure to check back with us on here on the Disney Programs Blog for all the exciting details!
 
Yep, Just saw that it was coming back and came to let everyone know. Knew it was getting close because last Tuesday there was alumni bingo so knew the team was back at work.
 


As our industry and community continue to bounce back, we have welcomed back thousands of cast members to work and have also restarted our recruitment efforts amid a tight labor market at Walt Disney World. Both of these measures are important indicators toward fully reopening our businesses and getting more people back to work.

The implication, in the above excerpt from the Disney statement, is that all laid off and furloughed Disney World employees have been recalled, new permanent employees are being hired, and it is still necessary for Disney to hire thousands of university students to fulfill Disney's needs. I wonder how true that is.

Yesterday, Pete Werner made some interesting comments about the college program in a DisUnplugged video. The key sentence from his comments is: "I'm not a fan of slave labour..."

The discussion about the college program starts at the 54 minute mark of the following video:

 
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Another step in getting everyone back to normal....

Exciting to say the least...

Good Luck to everyone getting in... and as a AP holder.... We will see you all real soon!!!
 
The implication, in the above excerpt from the Disney statement, is that all laid off and furloughed Disney World employees have been recalled, new permanent employees are being hired, and it is still necessary for Disney to hire thousands of university students to fulfill Disney's needs. I wonder how true that is.

Yesterday, Pete Werner made some interesting comments about the college program in a DisUnplugged video. The key sentence from his comments is: "I'm not a fan of slave labour..."

The discussion about the college program starts at the 54 minute mark of the following video:


I get that some folks have not enjoyed their DCP experience, and many folks who have never done the program find it something they like to drag .... but I'll just say it's a good program if you go informed and knowing that you are there to work (and have fun) and not to party (and maybe work). It is an internship, a paid internship and because of the need to travel there they provide housing on par or nicer than college housing.

My DD did the program, had three different jobs and had a great experience program wise. The only negatives she ran in to were guests, other DCP who never held a job so struggled with working and an apartment mate issue (they moved the girl out ... sadly into another apartment when she should have been terminated). Management of Disney housing was not great if you had an issue but hopefully the new Disney owned campus will be a much better experience.

Slave Labor? My DD made just above minimum wage, worked a 40 hour give or take week and had option of picking up shifts. All of her friends and roommates also had full working schedules. She also took a class for free that is offered through the "Disney Institute" that would have cost thousands.

Okay, the complaint is their high rent .... this is a "college" program where the rent is less than most housing in college dorms. The apartments include furnishings and the basics, access to laundry if it wasn't in your apartment, pools, recreation and activities, all utilities covered including internet and cable, buses to get you to work or do errands ... more than you will get in most college dorms. The new campus will be SO MUCH better than that. Add that they also have unlimited access to parks for their time off.

DD was trained as a Hopper, which means she was crossed trained so she could fill in anywhere as needed. Disney didn't really know what to do with that so her first assignment was DisneyQuest. At first she wasn't thrilled not being in a park but made lots of good friends (fulltime worked day shift, DCP did the evening shift) that spent all their time off together, had great bosses and was given opportunity to expand her responsibilities. Disney Springs was under construction and they offered her to also work as a Rescue Ranger helping guests find their way etc ... so a guest relations CM. She had a great boss here as well. So she worked both positions on different days. She stayed on and next worked Soarin' at Epcot. She really liked her bosses but here was when the guest interaction began to deteriorate. By the end of this session she decided that rather than try to get on fulltime (her plan) she was going to Grad School.

She was never a slave, she made enough money to pay her rent, she and her friends went out to eat, they spent lots of time at Universal (they all bought APs), she drove so others helped her pay for gas and she did a few things like SeaWorld, go to the beach, go to state parks etc. Lots to do that doesn't cost money.

She had good bosses, she learned lots of patience, she developed customer service skills in a tough environment and she took away skills that would help her later.

Grad School said the year of Disney experience on her resume got her the final approval, they knew she had commitment, worked hard, dealt with issues and had picked up some of the Disney mentality. She had several other times that folks said she got ahead on the list because they saw she worked at Disney. She has certainly used some of the skills gained in her work life.

Again, if someone is going planning to bank, planning to play every day, planning on sitting around at an easy job .... you'll hate it. If you have never had a job you might hate it - she found those who didn't work before and didn't have that ethic to commit hours on end really struggled. I often talk to the DCP when I can, especially if they seem shy. I encourage them to take advantage of using the park passes even if just to wander, people watch or see some fireworks. Don't go home only remembering your work hours.

DD went in fully understanding the commitment, the need to live on a budget, to put herself out to make friends (one from the other side of the country was just in her wedding), to enjoy every off moment and absorb all you can. It was a great experience AND she didn't even get to live in the awesome housing they have now. I would never discourage anyone from doing it .... unless they don't like to work and don't like people.

Good luck to all applying!
 
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I also don't like the term "slave labor" regarding DCP kids. My DD was a CP: dreamed of working in the parks (not to be!) She was assigned at AOA gift shop. Where she formed her INK family. The older women took the DCP kids under their wing (bringing in a Thanksgiving dinner all the fixings for the DCP kids) She fell in love with the group and her job. (made Trainer level). Then when DcP ended she found a roommate, got a seasonal job at photopass (she also worked part time in DS) Soon enough she was hired on full-time at MK, later transferred to AK. (dream of working in the park achieved!) She stayed for 3 years. Did she live like a queen? nope. She was able to buy a car, live in an apartment, loved her job. She left when our family decided to relocate to the West coast. She had some terrible experiences (all with guests) and some amazing (meeting Steven Tyler) overall I know she'd do it again.
 
I know this won’t sit well with everyone, and for that I am sorry...however I would have rather see CMs that were laid off asked to come back before DCP. Granted, the finances make better sense for DCP since we worked for next to nothing and Chapek will do anything to save a buck, but the moral in my area has been one of survivor’s guilt - again - with the DCP announcement. There are hundreds of non-union or office & technical CMs that were laid off and tend to be forgotten about. There is a growing belief that former Disney leaders that are getting passed over for intro roles they are applying for to bridge the years until retirement simply because DCP are coming back. My area would much rather have someone with 20 years of institutional knowledge, or someone that worked in my park before moving to a non-union role just to get laid off, than a new CP.
 
I get that some folks have not enjoyed their DCP experience, and many folks who have never done the program find it something they like to drag .... but I'll just say it's a good program if you go informed and knowing that you are there to work (and have fun) and not to party (and maybe work)...

My oldest daughter spent two summers in the International Program, and she certainly enjoyed it. Her third term was cancelled due to COVID. She's getting a five year degree at university, so she's hoping to spend the summer of 2022 at Disney World, assuming the International Program is restarted before then.

I'd say my daughter financially broke even both years, plus came home with a couple of hundred dollars in Disney merchandise each year. Personally, I think the many benefits from taking part in the various college and international programs definitely make up for the low pay (it's hard to put a dollar value on things like "early morning yoga in front of the castle", and back stage tours of attractions).
 
...I would have rather see CMs that were laid off asked to come back before DCP... There is a growing belief that former Disney leaders that are getting passed over for intro roles they are applying for to bridge the years until retirement simply because DCP are coming back.

That is my wish, too, although the official announcement does seem to imply that all furloughed workers have been recalled, and that additional permanent employees are being hired. But with attendance still severely curtailed by COVID restrictions, it seems unlikely that all former Cast Members who want to return, have returned.
 
That is my wish, too, although the official announcement does seem to imply that all furloughed workers have been recalled, and that additional permanent employees are being hired. But with attendance still severely curtailed by COVID restrictions, it seems unlikely that all former Cast Members who want to return, have returned.

I agree - I think the issue is that not all furloughed workers can return in their original roles and some won't want to return to say custodial after they have had another job more to their liking.

We met a great CM at AOA a few weeks ago cleaning and sanitizing the tables outside by the bar and emptying trash, he was a former character handler at MK. This young man was just happy to come back in any form but did miss his former job and hoped to transfer to another role at some point.

My dd is a CP from the closed program and has re-applied;, from what she told me they had to agree to any position this time and won't know until a week or so prior to start date what role they get. So yes if a CP want's the experience and is willing to work jobs others are not (custodial and quick service mainly) then its a win win IMHO.

In my dd's case she has her BS already and is working on a masters so she can do both during a CP and spend less on housing (even at Flamingo Crossing!) and make more $ than she would at school. The experience she gained in just a short time truly changed her life, from traditions to making friends from all over the world. .
 
I agree - I think the issue is that not all furloughed workers can return in their original roles and some won't want to return to say custodial after they have had another job more to their liking.

Thanks for the explanation. What you wrote makes sense and would seem to explain the current situation.
 
Th
That is my wish, too, although the official announcement does seem to imply that all furloughed workers have been recalled, and that additional permanent employees are being hired. But with attendance still severely curtailed by COVID restrictions, it seems unlikely that all former Cast Members who want to return, have returned.


Think past the furloughed CMs. I agree that most of the parks CMs are back in my area or have been shifted to other areas. But there is a huuuuuuuuuge chunk of resort and backstage CMs that are still furloughed and haven’t been offered another role. I feel them, and then CMs that got laid off should be offered roles before CPs. I know of 4 former CMs (all 4 taught traditions, 2 were coordinators, and 1 was Legacy) that were laid off and weren’t even offered an interview for their old team when the role was posted externally.
we laugh in our break room about the bad PR Disney keeps walking into with how they’ve handled the labor situation here. One of my leaders said she has other salaried friends that were laid off when they would have accepted a furlough instead bc they get health insurance from their spouse. But Chapek decided to be like Thanos and snap away a third of the workforce and now can’t get the cash grab for reopening bc they can’t onboard folks quick enough.
 
My DD still has several friends that waited, waited for a call back from WDW. I know two of her friends took jobs elsewhere (one went to Universal! and only 1 got a call back but after they took another positon) but the fact is that many people are riding the unemployment train not wanting to work if they don't have to. So I think Disney had to resort to the DCP kids to fill in the blanks so-to-speak.
 
I get that some folks have not enjoyed their DCP experience, and many folks who have never done the program find it something they like to drag .... but I'll just say it's a good program if you go informed and knowing that you are there to work (and have fun) and not to party (and maybe work). It is an internship, a paid internship and because of the need to travel there they provide housing on par or nicer than college housing.

My DD did the program, had three different jobs and had a great experience program wise. The only negatives she ran in to were guests, other DCP who never held a job so struggled with working and an apartment mate issue (they moved the girl out ... sadly into another apartment when she should have been terminated). Management of Disney housing was not great if you had an issue but hopefully the new Disney owned campus will be a much better experience.

Slave Labor? My DD made just above minimum wage, worked a 40 hour give or take week and had option of picking up shifts. All of her friends and roommates also had full working schedules. She also took a class for free that is offered through the "Disney Institute" that would have cost thousands.

Okay, the complaint is their high rent .... this is a "college" program where the rent is less than most housing in college dorms. The apartments include furnishings and the basics, access to laundry if it wasn't in your apartment, pools, recreation and activities, all utilities covered including internet and cable, buses to get you to work or do errands ... more than you will get in most college dorms. The new campus will be SO MUCH better than that. Add that they also have unlimited access to parks for their time off.

DD was trained as a Hopper, which means she was crossed trained so she could fill in anywhere as needed. Disney didn't really know what to do with that so her first assignment was DisneyQuest. At first she wasn't thrilled not being in a park but made lots of good friends (fulltime worked day shirt, DCP did the evening shift) that spent all their time off together, had great bosses and was given opportunity to expand her responsibilities. Disney Springs was under construction and they offered her to also work as a Rescue Ranger helping guests find their way etc ... so a guest relations CM. She had a great boss here as well. So she worked both positions on different days. She stayed on and next worked Soarin' at Epcot. She really liked her bosses but here was when the guest interaction began to deteriorate. By the end of this session she decided that rather than try to get on fulltime (her plan) she was going to Grad School.

She was never a slave, she made enough money to pay her rent, she and her friends went out to eat, they spent lots of time at Universal (they all bought APs), she drove so others helped her pay for gas and she did a few things like SeaWorld, go to the beach, go to state parks etc. Lots to do that doesn't cost money.

She had good bosses, she learned lots of patience, she developed customer service skills in a tough environment and she took away skills that would help her later.

Grad School said the year of Disney experience on her resume got her the final approval, they knew she had commitment, worked hard, dealt with issues and had picked up some of the Disney mentality. She had several other times that folks said she got ahead on the list because they saw she worked at Disney. She has certainly used some of the skills gained in her work life.

Again, if someone is going planning to bank, planning to play every day, planning on sitting around at an easy job .... you'll hate it. If you have never had a job you might hate it - she found those who didn't work before and didn't have that ethic to commit hours on end really struggled. I often talk to the DCP when I can, especially if they seem shy. I encourage them to take advantage of using the park passes even if just to wander, people watch or see some fireworks. Don't go home only remembering your work hours.

DD went in fully understanding the commitment, the need to live on a budget, to put herself out to make friends (one from the other side of the country was just in her wedding), to enjoy every off moment and absorb all you can. It was a great experience AND she didn't even get to live in the awesome housing they have now. I would never discourage anyone from doing it .... unless they don't like to work and don't like people.

Good luck to all applying!
My daughter’s experience was just as positive!
 
I know this won’t sit well with everyone, and for that I am sorry...however I would have rather see CMs that were laid off asked to come back before DCP. Granted, the finances make better sense for DCP since we worked for next to nothing and Chapek will do anything to save a buck, but the moral in my area has been one of survivor’s guilt - again - with the DCP announcement. There are hundreds of non-union or office & technical CMs that were laid off and tend to be forgotten about. There is a growing belief that former Disney leaders that are getting passed over for intro roles they are applying for to bridge the years until retirement simply because DCP are coming back. My area would much rather have someone with 20 years of institutional knowledge, or someone that worked in my park before moving to a non-union role just to get laid off, than a new CP.
You make a broad, somewhat uninformed statement with, “Chapek will do anything to save a buck”. How do you support that? Do you know how many cast members were offered jobs, but have opted out? Do you know how many CP’s will be offered roles? Will it be at the same level as pre COVID or will they start at a fraction of that number? You offer a few anecdotal examples of a few people you know, but no one really knows the true numbers of who has refused offers and how many CP’s will report. They are figuring this out as they go.
 

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