Walt Disney World College Program
Encyclopedia
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, located at the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
and the Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort in Anaheim, California. The resort is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks and Resorts division and is home to two theme parks, three hotels and a shopping, dining, and entertainment area known as Downtown Disney.The area now...
. The Walt Disney College Program recruits students (18 years and older) and all majors for a semester-long paid internship program working at the Walt Disney World Resort.
History
The first Walt Disney College Program began in 1981. In the early days, the College Program consisted of just over 200 students from 20 schools working in only one theme park, the Magic KingdomMagic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
. At that time it was known as The Magic Kingdom College Program. In 1983, program participants could work at Epcot as well as the Magic Kingdom and the program was known as The Walt Disney World College Program, employing approximately 500 college students each 3-month spring, summer and fall session. From the beginning of the program until 1988, almost all program participants stayed in an off-property mobile home park
Trailer park
A trailer park is a semi-permanent or permanent area for mobile homes or travel trailers. The main reasons for living in such trailer parks are the often lower cost compared to other housing, and the ability to move to a new area more quickly and easily, for example when changing jobs to another...
called Snow White Village Campground (the remainder in Lake Vista Village apartments) in nearby Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
. 1988 saw the opening of Vista Way apartments, which were much closer to the participants' employment. Following the resort's massive growth in the 1990s and the widespread popularity of the internet, the College Program has grown substantially, seeing three new participant housing complexes built and many more colleges represented. As of 2005, 8,000 students have participated each year, representing at least 301 colleges and universities with an average of 4,000 students at any given time.
In the autumn of 2004, student opportunities at Disneyland were combined with the opportunities available at Walt Disney World. The program was renamed to the Disney Theme Parks and Resorts College Program. Currently, the program is being promoted as simply the Disney College Program.
Application process
Students who apply to the program are given the option of one of several program seasons throughout the year, each usually lasting between five and seven months, though the culinary session length is dependent upon the student's school schedule.To be considered for the program, each student must attend an information session about the program or view the same session online. Afterwards, students participate in a web-based interview. Students who are selected to proceed beyond the interview can interview over the telephone. Here the students inform recruiters of the positions in which they would be interested in working while attending the program. Some of these positions (or roles) are food and beverage, attractions, custodial, hospitality, and character work. If a student chooses to do character work, he or she must attend one of several regional auditions. Beginning in 2005, Disney offered an online presentation to better accommodate students' schedules for the live information sessions.
If the student has been accepted, they will receive an acceptance letter within three to four weeks of the interview, which must be replied to in order to secure a spot in the program.
Program information
At the beginning of the program in the early 1980s, three "experiences" were emphasized: "The Learning Experience", which involved participation in Disney's "Leisure Time Business Management Studies", "The Work Experience" which included work in 4 major areas of the resort, and "The Recreational Experience" which emphasized recreational activities and Disney-sponsored events. Since that time, the experiences have changed slightly to "living", "learning" and "earning".The "Living" experience is similar to the program's original "Recreational" experience. Once the student has accepted their position with Disney, they can stay in one of four, company sponsored housing units near Walt Disney World Resort during the duration of the program: Vista Way, Chatham Square, Patterson Court, and The Commons (which houses mainly international Cast Members). At the Disneyland Resort, participants stay in the Center Street Promenade complex approximately two miles north of the Disneyland Resort. Each participant has the opportunity to choose to live in a one, two, three, or four bedroom apartment with two people sharing a bedroom.
The "Learning" experience began in the early 80s as a group of 9 seminars on the "philosophies and operating practices" of the various sections of Walt Disney World's business. It has grown to include 8 different courses, each focusing on a Disney topic, rather than a business area. Students are required to do textbook readings, write term papers and participate on projects. The program also offers "job shadowing" for students on days they are not working. Students can follow and witness Disney employees whose careers are similar to the student's major.Each course offers participants the possibility to earn college credit during their program. The decision to award credit is made by the participant's college or university.
The "Earning" experience consists of students working within the Walt Disney World Resort. At the program's inception, students were expected to work in one of 4 "major operating areas": Food, Merchandise, Attractions, and Custodial. Currently, Walt Disney World College Program students work in many areas.
Depending on the requirements of a student's school, internship credit may be earned.
Criticism
Critics argue that Disney is using the program as a source of cheap labor, as interns do the same work as veteran employees, but at a significantly lower pay rate. In late 2007, a permanent Cast Member ran for president of the local union in Orlando. Part of his platform intended to get rid of the Disney College program, claiming that the program "imports thousands of low-wage earners every year to work for Disney, depressing the local employment market and keeping wages down." Disney responded that the program is beneficial in the recruitment of cast members and that 8,000 workers out of 62,000 do not greatly impact operations.Legal/safety issues
In 2006, a female college program participant was allegedly raped by four other students. The Orange County Sheriff's OfficeOrange County Sheriff's Office
Orange County Sheriff's Office may refer to:*Orange County Sheriff's Office *Orange County Sheriff's Office...
launched an investigation resulting in the termination and arrest of the four students, but no charges have been filed. Disney declined to comment.