Originally Posted By StmbtWilliam311 Ok- So this topic is kindof combined with another one about Disneyland employees. As many of you know if you've read that topic, I plan to try to become a Disneyland CM and work for Disney in a couple years. I think I want to do the Disney College Program in the process to kinda get my foot in the door. - Anyway, just wondering if anyone has participated in the DCP (especially in the California location), what you thought of it, how long it was, and any other info you can give me. I am extremely surprised/grateful for all the info I got from employees, and I'm hoping I'll get the same from this one. Thanks everyone! I really do appreciate all the info and comments I receive on these posts.
Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x I'm hoping to get into it when I transfer to CSU Fullerton. I'll have a hefty commute, though.
Originally Posted By StitchDude Pirate Princess, just go and apply. Don't bother with the college program. I am sure you are a well qualified person. From what I have been told the interview is not very hard to pass and they are always looking for good people. I think the college program is selling yourself short. I have a neighbor in it and he said it is just not worth it. I think you get fewer perks and I believe it is only temporary.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros From what I've picked up on the CP website, if you're planning on doing it, you should go all out and do it in WDW. There, you are fully immersed in the experience, where here you still have to find your own place to live. There, you spend all your time with other college aged folks who want to be a part of Disney's magic, where here you are part of it until your shift ends. I have a friend who did the CP about 6 years ago in WDW, and then she became the spokesperson for her school, and she absolutely loved it. She worked at Pizzafari in DAK, and seemed to have a great time (sorry I don't remember any more details). She spent a while after she graduated as a Childrens Counselor on the Cruise Line. I think she's in grad school right now, and I have no idea if she is planning on working with Disney when she's done. I'm pretty sure there are other LPers out there who have done the CP (mostly in WDW) over the years, so you should be able to get a general idea of what it's like and how it's changed over time.
Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x Thanks, StitchDude! I was thinking about it..I'll still have a commute from Hemet..it's an hour on a good day. If I can't do it now, I definitely will when the kids get old enough to take care of themselves on 12 hour shifts!
Originally Posted By dresswhites wow i get to be an expert here! i did the disneyland college program for three summers. i participated in the program during the summers of 97, 98, 99. so some or alot of things may of changed since then. first summer- they put us all over. half of us where in one complex, another group was in another and so on and so forth. i was at the oakwood complex at broadway and broadhurst. it was ok complex. not the greatest neighborhood though. 2 per room, 4 alltogether. we have people in program who worked attractions, foods, custodial(me), merchandise and a couple in hotels. the pay wasn't great, and most of the pay went to rent, so don't expect to have huge paychecks. upside is college program guarantees you a certain number of hours, unlike normal cms who hire in and may only get a couple hours until summer really kicks in. with the program we did all sorts of california touristy type things, beach, price is right, tonight show, six flags, ect. the second summer they grouped all the same place, which was really cool except they put in newport beach which is quite a distance from the park. for those of us who didn't have a car we had to rely on our fellow college programers or cms in the department you worked. unfortuanely without a car with the disneyland college program u are kind of limited, so best have a car. lots of parties, lots of people from different backgrounds, lots of fun. there was generally a party almost every single night. part of the fun of the college program was that you got to meet people from all different work groups in the parks. in some ways it was two sets of friends, those in the program and those in your department. lots of people to lean on. the second summer thy offered business type courses, which were all right, but nothing incredible. disneyland college program doesn't focus on the educational or internships that disneyworld does. third summer was a very small college program and they put up in anaheim again. apartments were nice, but area was downright sleazy. it was almost like they gave up on the college program that summer. no classes, no chances for internship. no ogranized events. it wasn't as fun as the previous two summers, but i still had a nice time. they offered the program again in 2000, but due other issues, i didn't do it. i think they offered it again 01, but then they stopped for the next few summers. overall it was a great experience. because i went to school in az, it was a chance to work at disneyland that i wouldn't have gotten otherwise. also like i said you got guaranteed hours, which doesn't happen if you hire in in other ways. the pay was lousy, but for me it was just the experience of getting to work there. i would do it, if you are still in school and don't want a full time job at disneyland. it is a good experience.
Originally Posted By dresswhites oh and it is a fairly short summer. they have two groups. the first group(which i was in started around may 20th or so and went until the first week of august. the second group started in late june and went until the first week of september. if you get hired in for the college program for most positions expect to work some or all of the grad nights. expect to work memorial day and july 4th. the work groups were attractions, custodial, food and beverage, odv, merchandise, bussers, and hotels. a few got some nice assignments like working at club 33, but the majority of us worked on the frontlines. i hated when the summers ended. time went by so fast!
Originally Posted By StmbtWilliam311 Ok, so you went to Arizona and just did the college program each summer? That seems like a good idea. I would love that. So how did you go about getting into the program since you didn't live in California?
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Thank you so much for posting dresswhites! My son graduates high school this year and has been looking for just the info. you provided.
Originally Posted By dresswhites i found out about the program thru my older sister. she went to northern arizona university and they had a recruiter there. she got selected to work parking lot and great moments with mr lincoln.(this was in the late 80s.) she had so much fun in the program and i loved disneyland so much i couldn't wait til i entered college. i went to Arizona State. recruiters came to the school and i went and interviewed and got hired. For the disneyland college program they seem to go mostly to schools in the west. i.e. Arizona State, UofA, U of Washington, Washington State, Northern Arizona State, some of the smaller schools up in northern california. Walt disney world came in several times a year to hire for their program as well. i was just more interested in the disneyland college program. it was a great deal, got to live in cali for three months, work for disneyland and generally have a blast.
Originally Posted By StmbtWilliam311 That's great- So I take it you would recommend the DCP? - I go to the University of Colorado, and I checked their recruiting schedule, and it doesn't look like they come to CU-- anyone know if it's still possible to do it if they don't come to your school? Anyone done that yet?
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I highly recommend the program than, for no other reason, you can put Disney on your resume. I have no doubt that some people took notice of my application, and called me for an interview, just because I had Disney on my resume. Heck, I'm in a senior management position now and I still have it on the resume even though I was only there about 6 months (WDW). And, even with my years of full time work I still get a lot of questions about it.
Originally Posted By SFH Funny. Other companies care a lot more that someone worked as a cast member than Disney itself seems to. SFH
Originally Posted By StmbtWilliam311 So what do you guys think the chances would be of getting a job with Disney after doing the College Program? Not just as a Disneyland CM, but doing something you could actually make a living on. I am thinking I'll wait till the semester before I graduate college to do it, so that if an opportunity arises, I could take it. Anyone know if that is a possibility or how often they offer managerial jobs like that?
Originally Posted By SuzieQ Hre's the link to the Disney career page. <a href="http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/index.html" target="_blank">http://corporate.disney.go.com /careers/index.html</a> I have a friend who has worked for Disney for more than 20 years. She's not in the parks, but her office is located in a buiding near the DLH. She's high enough to have a staff. Anyhow, her degree is in history from UCLA. But she was also president of the Bruin Belles in college, which I'm sure Disney loved!
Originally Posted By Tiggirl As far as I understand, the Disneyland College Program no longer provides housing though they may assist in finding housing... I'm not sure. If you don't already live in the area, the Disneyland program hardly seems worth it because your whole paycheck will go towards your rent. My friend did the WDW College Program and loved it. She worked in DAK. Her housing was provided and she hada blast. She looked over both Disneyland and WDW's programs and determined that WDW's was a better program. ~Beth
Originally Posted By rafiki72 I attended the WDWCP in the spring of 96...and it was a blast....i agree with Wahoo...that the simple fact that you can claim a "Ducktorette" Degree from this program is priceless in interviews and to have on your resume. I think i value my diploma more than my real BA. I think overall it is better to do it in WDW since it is a larger program and you will be off getting to do what you want...work in the parks...hotels etc... Not sure how it all works now...but it is no doubt still worth it....
Originally Posted By wahooskipper In case you don't know...housing is provided on the WDWCP...but at a cost. I did my program in 1992 (not long after the introduction of Vista Way) and I believe I paid around $55/week for a 6 person, three bedroom/two bath condo. Living there amongst the other participants, and the Epcot Internationals, is half the fun!
Originally Posted By StmbtWilliam311 The WDW program does sound better in terms of housing and such, but I am a diehard Disneyland fanatic, and that's where I'd really want to do it. No offense to you WDWers, but in terms of my own interest and location, WDW is kinda out of the question. Which kinda stinks since it sounds like that program is better.
Originally Posted By imadisneygal Better is in the eye of the beholder, William. Disneyland is where the history lives. It's where Walt walked down Main Street. You simply can't get that anywhere else. And I LOVE Walt Disney World. Love it. I go all the time and I'm headed there again in May. But no matter how great it is, it will never be Disneyland. Of course that's just my humble opinion.
