Disney College Program helped my daughter get a job.

Polybound

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 10, 2013
I know this is probably in the wrong place, but it might be beneficial to someone who knows someone considering the DCP. After going to summer school a few summers and graduating from college a semester early, our daughter decided to do the Disney college program. I guess it was a way to play before having to start working in earnest for the rest of her life.

First of all, Disney works the kids like dogs. $10 per hour + OT. They work 50-60 hours per week and most of that on their feet. The CP apartments were a complete dump. When she moved in, the bathtub was so disgusting that no matter how much they tried to clean it, they still had to wear flip fops to take a shower.

Before the program ended, she applied for and got a professional internship with Disney. It was more behind the scenes, in which she worked in a park part of the time, though also had an office off stage as they call it. She got $1 more per hour, but made less money because there was no OT. It was strictly a 40 hour per week job. I thought it was nothing but waste of time and money, and a way to put off the inevitable of going out and finding a real career.

When she returned home after the program was over, she started applying for jobs online. The first week she applied for maybe 50-60 jobs (mostly out of her degree field). The request for interviews started pouring in. At first, online and telephone interviews and then she was driving out of town each week for followup personal interviews. Many of the companies she talked to ACTUALLY TOLD HER; what made her stand out was her experience in the Disney College Program and Professional Internship. Within 3 weeks of starting to apply for jobs, she accepted her first job (which was in her degree field). What I thought was a complete waste of time and money, turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
 
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Good for her! Congrats!
I know we bemoan the loss of CS at Disney but in the industry it's still a high standard. I have a friend who is in Marketing and specifically concentrates with Travel and Tourism industry and she touts Disney as the standard for the industry all the time. It still carries a lot of weight
 


That's great! What was her degree in?

Her degree and job are in the Oil and Gas Industry, I believe it's title is Director of something. She hasn't had her first day on the job yet. Fortunately, she got a job during a time in which her degree is not in high demand.
 
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That is amazing! My daughter want to join the DCP but I'm not sure when it would make more sense. Unfortunately, she would not graduate early like your DD and the DCP would probably mean that she would graduate late since she'll miss a semester.
 


The experience on my daughters resume made all the difference for her as well. When she returned to campus she applied for a highly coveted job for the corporation running the football stadium at an SEC school, overseeing the luxury corporate skyboxes. Hundreds of applicants for 2 jobs. She was one of the first applicants to interview and as soon as the interviewers hit Disney on her resume, just a few questions in they started peppering her with questions about Disney. Her experience, but also in general. Talked 45 minutes and on her walk back to the dorm they called her, and told her that although they had several dozen interviews to go wanted to offer her one of the jobs. She has had similar but different experiences at her next two job interviews, getting everything she has interviewed for so far in her career. Never had one without Disney questions.
 
That is amazing! My daughter want to join the DCP but I'm not sure when it would make more sense. Unfortunately, she would not graduate early like your DD and the DCP would probably mean that she would graduate late since she'll miss a semester.
It is worth it if it is the difference maker between her resume and all her classmates. I have 3 kids who did the program, 2 added a semester, the other one took online classes during the program and graduated on time.
 
I think it also probably helps the ICPers as much or maybe even more to have "Disney ICP" on their resumes!:)
 
Our DD was a CP participant and later went to work as a full-time CM. She left WDW years ago but having Disney on her resume has always opened doors for her. That experience was invaluable.:earsboy:
 
One of my friends did the Disney College Program, and told me she had similar things happen like OP's daughter when she started applying for interviews with non Disney companies.

All of the companies who interviewed her were more interested in her Disney work experience than the actual master's degree for her field! She said it was pretty amazing, interviewers wanted to hear more about the time she cleaned motel rooms and worked custodial for Disney than the other more prestigious jobs she did (like managing a bookstore, public library department head, etc). Because Disney still carries a reputation for good customer service, it definately catches peoples' eyes on her resume.
 
Practically every job I've gotten whether it was a minor job in retail or restaurants or a "real" job has cited my Disney experience as a huge factor in hiring me. Also a great interview subject to show off your personality.
One boss was jokingly going around the room telling each of us why he chose us, he was teasing but he was being honest. He got to me and said "I heard Disney and stopped listening. I knew she wouldn't need training." This was a job in the hospitality industry.
 
That is amazing! My daughter want to join the DCP but I'm not sure when it would make more sense. Unfortunately, she would not graduate early like your DD and the DCP would probably mean that she would graduate late since she'll miss a semester.
I was not aware of this until recently but you can apply for the DCP up to six months AFTER graduation so you don't necessarily have to miss any college or graduate late in order to participate in the program. My DD graduates with her Bachelor's in early May and is applying for Fall Advantage (May-January) or Fall (August-January) and if she doesn't get in this time, she can still apply one more time for Spring (January-May 2019).
 
I was not aware of this until recently but you can apply for the DCP up to six months AFTER graduation so you don't necessarily have to miss any college or graduate late in order to participate in the program. My DD graduates with her Bachelor's in early May and is applying for Fall Advantage (May-January) or Fall (August-January) and if she doesn't get in this time, she can still apply one more time for Spring (January-May 2019).
Thanks! We spoke to a CM in January who told us that. He graduated and is in the DCP at Cosmic Ray's but is auditioning to be in entertainment (I think that's what it's called, right?). His degree is in acting. He was soooo sweet and outgoing and enthusiastic and charming. I hope he gets it. My DD was hooked. Funny thing is, when my DD came back from that trip she signed up for an acting class :rolleyes1.

ETA: I am really enjoying the stories of people who had doors opened for them because they participated in the DCP even though their role had nothing to do with the job they are applying for.
 
ETA: I am really enjoying the stories of people who had doors opened for them because they participated in the DCP even though their role had nothing to do with the job they are applying for.

Me too! DD probably won't end up doing anything related to her major (Communications) but the experience itself will take her far. Although....any kind of role has some level of Communication!
 
When she returned home after the program was over, she started applying for jobs online. The first week she applied for maybe 50-60 jobs (mostly out of her degree field). The request for interviews started pouring in. At first, online and telephone interviews and then she was driving out of town each week for followup personal interviews. Many of the companies she talked to ACTUALLY TOLD HER; what made her stand out was her experience in the Disney College Program and Professional Internship. Within 3 weeks of starting to apply for jobs, she accepted her first job (which was in her degree field). What I thought was a complete waste of time and money, turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

When DD got accepted into Grad School she was told by the head of the Dept that her Disney experiences on her resume (she was there a year) made her stand out. While getting her degree she had some nice internships and jobs, and many of them gave a big nod to Disney on her resume.

She has three jobs at Disney and trained in a fourth, they knew the hard hours and hard work, she listed the Disney classes she took (one is offered to corporations at CSR for thousands of dollars) and the customer service and ability to "stay calm" under stressful situations goes a long way.
 
When DD got accepted into Grad School she was told by the head of the Dept that her Disney experiences on her resume (she was there a year) made her stand out. While getting her degree she had some nice internships and jobs, and many of them gave a big nod to Disney on her resume.

She has three jobs at Disney and trained in a fourth, they knew the hard hours and hard work, she listed the Disney classes she took (one is offered to corporations at CSR for thousands of dollars) and the customer service and ability to "stay calm" under stressful situations goes a long way.

From what I understand, staying calm under stressful situations is a major theme at Disney.
 
From what I understand, staying calm under stressful situations is a major theme at Disney.

:thumbsup2 YUP. Aside from what I've seen with my own eyes ... the stories .... wow, some are, wow.

Everything from being pulled in to handle the SB/FP+ merge at a major attraction because the verbal abuse from guest has a CM crying ..... to standing in position to offer help to a woman being verbally abused by her DH and the fear it was going to turn physical (while waiting for management to arrive) ..... to having to clean up biological spills (yes she was trained in it) because custodians refused to come, causing the attraction to be closed .... to having very drunk guests be verbally abusive to her ............. and it goes on and on.
 
Practically every job I've gotten whether it was a minor job in retail or restaurants or a "real" job has cited my Disney experience as a huge factor in hiring me. Also a great interview subject to show off your personality.
One boss was jokingly going around the room telling each of us why he chose us, he was teasing but he was being honest. He got to me and said "I heard Disney and stopped listening. I knew she wouldn't need training." This was a job in the hospitality industry.
If I see Disney on the resume they get an interview.
 

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