Entertainment, Disney College Program

[HFBelle]

Hi! I am a junior in high school, and am anxiously awaiting the day when I can apply to work at Disney for a semester. I have a few questions about the program, and I would be extremely grateful if you could answer one, some, or all!

1.) From an entertainment perspective, what are prospective characters for someone of my height? (Five foot eight and three quarters)

2.) If you are going to audition, do you apply for the college program, or audition first?

3.) If you do get cast would you play a particular character, or various characters?

4.) If you don't get accepted for entertainment, would you still have the opportunity to work in another job?

5.) Someone with personal experience... How is it? I can't find ANYTHING on personal experience from workers in entertainment!

6.) Which would be the best semester to take off of college to attend the program?

I have been dancing for 13 years now, (Eight years Competitive dancing, the last three years a member of a pre Professional ballet company) and have been involved in Musical Theatre, Acting classes, member of an Improvisational Acting team, and have been taking voice lessons for almost two years (Wonder what my passion is, huh?). If I did not get accepted in entertainment, I would not be devastated, rather eager for other opportunities to serve, such as character attendant or attractions. Something where I would be able to interact with park attendees! Working at Disney has been a dream of mine for many years now, and my goal is to help make peoples dreams come true!

Thank you SO much!

 

[LaurenInNeverland]

Welcome to the boards!!

I'm in the middle of my second entertainment CP right now, so I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can.

1) I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with the taller character ranges since I'm 5'4", and it's really impossible to know precisely what you could be doing until you get down here anyway.

2) I've seen people do both. I applied for the program first and was accepted to Character Attendant, and then after I passed the audition about two months later they switched my role. Some people were at the audition who hadn't applied yet, and they were told to apply as quickly as possible.

3) Those who are cast tend to hang out with multiple characters depending on who is available in their height range. I have 3 characters that I hang out with on a regular basis, and there are several more obscure characters in my height range that I could be pulled to hang out with if necessary. My good friend is a different height than me and she hangs out with at least 7-8 different characters regularly, so it all depends.

4) Absolutely yes. If I hadn't passed my audition, I would have been a Character Attendant as my original acceptance planned. That's why I think they prefer you apply first and then audition second.

5) There's a link to my blog with some of my experiences, and you can always message me and I'd be happy to share what I can.

6) I did my first CP this last fall the semester after I graduated from college, and my current CP is my extension until this May. I wanted to wait so that I could also study abroad (which I highly recommend) without delaying my plan to graduate on time. As long as you're a student when you apply, you don't have to still be a student for the semester you're physically in Orlando doing the program. Some people like to go early in their college careers (first semester of Sophomore year or something near there) so that they aren't too deep into their majors yet. Other people do it when they're close to graduating if they feel they need a break. It's all a matter of personal preference.

I was really quite impressed with your statement that you would see a non-acceptance as an opportunity to work for Disney in other areas. Keep up that kind of attitude and I know you'll go far. Good luck living out your passion and we'll see you here in a few years!!

 

[Spo0nfulofSugar]

Speaking of your blog, you haven't posted in forever!

Another question-Can face characters also be parade performers? Either as a face, like Snow, or just a general mover? Or is it strictly meet and greets or parades?


I'm in the same boat with height, maybe like five nine? So if anyone knows probabilities of being measured up or down or even characters actually in that range, it'd be fab.

 

[LaurenInNeverland]

Speaking of your blog, you haven't posted in forever!

Another question-Can face characters also be parade performers? Either as a face, like Snow, or just a general mover? Or is it strictly meet and greets or parades?


I'm in the same boat with height, maybe like five nine? So if anyone knows probabilities of being measured up or down or even characters actually in that range, it'd be fab.

Haha thanks for reminding me! Just updated. ;-)

As far as CPs go, all of the friends-with-face-characters CPs that I knew only did meet and greets. I'm not sure if that's a coincidence or if there is a rule attached to that. However, I do know plenty of full-time, part-time, and seasonal cast members that do both.

 

[HFBelle]

Thank you SO much! I greatly appreciate it. I hope to be there soon! and thank you,I really enjoyed reading your blog!! Exactly the kind of thing I have been looking for. How exciting to be in the parade!!

 

[LaughingGamer]

Hi I'm Steven and ill be applying for spring 2015. It is actually kinda funny, I work at Dolly-wood (which is rated more friendly than Disney) and I work with like 5 cast-members who work at Dolly wood part time. I am from Tennessee and I have already earned a reward for excellence in customer service. So I have no doubt ill get in.

I LOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE DISNEY!!!!

 

[Frozenfairie]

Welcome to the boards!!

I'm in the middle of my second entertainment CP right now, so I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can.

1) I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with the taller character ranges since I'm 5'4", and it's really impossible to know precisely what you could be doing until you get down here anyway.

2) I've seen people do both. I applied for the program first and was accepted to Character Attendant, and then after I passed the audition about two months later they switched my role. Some people were at the audition who hadn't applied yet, and they were told to apply as quickly as possible.

3) Those who are cast tend to hang out with multiple characters depending on who is available in their height range. I have 3 characters that I hang out with on a regular basis, and there are several more obscure characters in my height range that I could be pulled to hang out with if necessary. My good friend is a different height than me and she hangs out with at least 7-8 different characters regularly, so it all depends.

4) Absolutely yes. If I hadn't passed my audition, I would have been a Character Attendant as my original acceptance planned. That's why I think they prefer you apply first and then audition second.

5) There's a link to my blog with some of my experiences, and you can always message me and I'd be happy to share what I can.

6) I did my first CP this last fall the semester after I graduated from college, and my current CP is my extension until this May. I wanted to wait so that I could also study abroad (which I highly recommend) without delaying my plan to graduate on time. As long as you're a student when you apply, you don't have to still be a student for the semester you're physically in Orlando doing the program. Some people like to go early in their college careers (first semester of Sophomore year or something near there) so that they aren't too deep into their majors yet. Other people do it when they're close to graduating if they feel they need a break. It's all a matter of personal preference.

I was really quite impressed with your statement that you would see a non-acceptance as an opportunity to work for Disney in other areas. Keep up that kind of attitude and I know you'll go far. Good luck living out your passion and we'll see you here in a few years!!

I have a couple questions for you regarding height! I'm 5'3" and I was wondering how often they actually accept people of that height range and what characters we would actually be able to play.

I'm so happy you said what height you were, it's been pretty difficult when the only people I know to ask question to are all much taller than me.

I also have another question as far as signing autographs as characters go. I know I may be getting ahead of myself here but from what I understand, they teach you a certain way to sign for specific characters that way all the signatures look the same, however I am left-handed and was wondering if that would really matter, or even stop me from becoming a character.

Thank you so much!

 

[Joanna71985]

Being left-handed doesn't matter (only exception being for those "friends" with Captain Hook)

 

[lam0037]

Another question-Can face characters also be parade performers? Either as a face, like Snow, or just a general mover? Or is it strictly meet and greets or parades? .

My sorority sister was a friend of Snow White through the CP last spring. She was in both the daytime and MSEP as a friend of Snow as well as being part of the patriotic scene in MSEP. So it is possibly, just not very common

 

[Frozenfairie]

Thank you so much! I was kind of worried there hahaha