Orlando College questions?

[MickeyMouse98]

Hey there Disboards, I'm Logan, and I'm interested in moving to Orlando when I finish High School (I'm a junior now), and doing the Career Start program, and then moving into the College Program. My question is, what colleges do students (already in either of those programs) have the most ease going to, and working with Disney at the same time? I'm looking around with no real success, and I'd like a little more info on the local big colleges. Please reply! Thanks so much!

 

[khancock]

If you are moving to Orlando to go to school, look into part time positions rather then CareerStart or the College Program.

Part time will give you more flexibility with your schedule than either of those programs would. The programs require full availability. Part time does not. If you are taking classes locally, you wouldn't have full availability to work at WDW.

Valencia Community College, Rollins, and the University of Central Florida are all schools in the area.

 

[MickeyMouse98]

I've seen UCF, but I wasn't sure if there was anything else. Would it be a good idea to go over the summer before semester starts to the Career Start, then take college classes, then take College Program? Will the scheduling work?

 

[NicoleRose]

I think you're a little confused as to what these programs are.

A good idea for you might be going to a semester of community college at home then doing the college program in florida and seeing how you like it. if you like it, after your college program you can remain seasonal (meaning you can pick up hours) and move into an apartment there and transfer to any of the schools down there. this is a very popular route to take.
Careerstart is the exact same thing as the college program except the roles are more limited and it doesnt require you to be enrolled in college. other than that, there's no difference so doing career start then college program would be redundant unless you really just want to go straight to disney.

 

[MickeyMouse98]

Sorry, I was a little confused. I didn't really understand how the College Program worked with colleges. I really do want to get to disney as soon as possible, so I'm planning on spending the summer after I graduate doing the Career Start program, to get a head start, granted that all of my college business is taken care of first. Then i want to head back to Texas for college, to avoid out of state tuition, and then go back later for the College Program. My ultimate goal is a Professional Internship with Disney, and a career in the company, so I figure the sooner I can start working my way up the ladder, the better. Thank you!

 

[Iris]

Career Start does not have a summer only program. They only have Fall and Spring/Spring advantage programs. To be working during the summer with Career Start, you would need to apply to the Spring Advantage Career Start Program which typically runs Jan/Feb through August. I think that is what this year's Spring 2011 Career Start participates time frame is. Career Start is geared toward kids who have not yet attended college, graduated from high school and are at least 18 years old when the program starts.

I believe that only the College Program has a summer alumni program.

To participate in the College Program, you must be attending college when you apply.

 

[MickeyMouse98]

Career Start does not have a summer only program. They only have Fall and Spring/Spring advantage programs. To be working during the summer with Career Start, you would need to apply to the Spring Advantage Career Start Program which typically runs Jan/Feb through August. I think that is what this year's Spring 2011 Career Start participates time frame is. Career Start is geared toward kids who have not yet attended college, graduated from high school and are at least 18 years old when the program starts.

I believe that only the College Program has a summer alumni program.

To participate in the College Program, you must be attending college when you apply.

January through August? Alright, that helps a lot. So I would still be in high school if I wanted to do the program the summer after my senior year. I understand that, and that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to do the Career Start before I went to college. The summer after High School is over for me. But if it conflicts with my graduation from high school, that may not be a possibility. Is there anyone who's participated in both programs that can help me understand how to go about that? I understand how to go about both programs individually, and I want to do the College Program no matter what, but i was really hoping to be able and do the Career Start as well, just out of excitement to work for Disney. A little selfish, but dreams are dreams.

I realize you have to be in college to attend the college program. Sorry if I'm coming off as ignorant, I'm just trying to understand the entire thing.

 

[Frizzbird]

It seems that the only way for you to do both programs would be to do the fall advantage Career Start program after you graduate from HS (assuming you graduate in May). You would then finish at the beginning of January where you could then attend college starting in the spring semester or if that doesn't really appeal to you, you could extend your program till perhaps May.

That means you would take a year off from school, which may not be something you want to do. If you did this you could then attend college starting the following fall and if you want, apply for the CP anytime following that first fall semester.

Basically if you want to do Career Start your going to have to put off going to college for at least one semester since you have to be a HS graduate in order to do it.

 

[MickeyMouse98]

Do you think that would be worth it? I still have to weigh the options. College is more important by a long shot, obviously. Should I hold off until I've already started college?

 

[NicoleRose]

why dont you just do a semester of college then do the college program? you'd only be waiting a few extra months and that way you do get started on college and earning credits

 

[MickeyMouse98]

why dont you just do a semester of college then do the college program? you'd only be waiting a few extra months and that way you do get started on college and earning credits

That's probably going to be the road I take, honestly. I just wanted to go down there as soon as possible, but a few more months couldn't hurt. I suppose I should settle down for college first, and get all of that in order before I leave to Florida anyways. It'd be smarter.

 

[TX~tink]

That's probably going to be the road I take, honestly. I just wanted to go down there as soon as possible, but a few more months couldn't hurt. I suppose I should settle down for college first, and get all of that in order before I leave to Florida anyways. It'd be smarter.

I think that sounds like your best option. I am just cautioning everyone that comes to Florida and wants to go to school and do the CP down here to MAKE SURE THE SCHOOL OFFERS THE DISNEY CP!!!!!!! When I looked at colleges in Florida I only looked at the small private schools and the only one that I found close to Orlando that had the CP was Eckerd College(which is in St. Petersburg, not very close to Orlando at all). I go to Stetson University and we do not offer the CP even though we are only an hour away from WDW. I would check UCF though, it is a HUUUUUUGE school but it is right in Orlando and may offer the program. But you need to ask about it, the tour guide that gives you your tour may not know about the CP so you may have to ask around in admissions. But do not go to a school assuming that just because they are in Florida and close to Orlando/in Orlando that they have the program.