7 Reasons I left The Disney College Program | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

7 Reasons I left The Disney College Program

A hyped up mouse and some underpaid men.

989
7 Reasons I left The Disney College Program
Cecelia Smith

The day was March 14th. I had just pulled into work and was wasting time in my car, procrastinating going into a room with eleven screaming two-year-olds. I decided to check my email when I saw it: the word congratulations in big bold letters. I had gotten into a program that had a 15 percent acceptance rate. I felt important and amazing. I called my mother crying uncontrollably, screaming through the tears that I finally got something I had been dreaming of.

Fast forward to June 6th and I walked through the doors of Patterson Court 16103 and met the four other girls who would become my best friends within two short months. However, I now sit between my packed bags planning my 14 hour route home in time for school to start next month. While I absolutely loved my life here and will never ever regret my time working for the Walt Disney Company, I am glad I'll be back home in good ole' Rusvegas soon and here is why:

1. After a few months of saying, "Howdy folks, welcome to the Country Bear Jamboree" you quickly begin to question your future.

I worked at Tom Sawyer's Island and Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland of Magic Kingdom. Every day I would move from the island, to driving a raft, to the jamboree and answer the same 20 questions over and over. The worst part was learning the show word for word, which will forever underscore every dream I have for the rest of my life.

2. The people here make Dory look like Albert Einstein.

There was recently an article going viral on Facebook about the worst drivers in America and surprise, surprise Orlando was on the list. People would ask me at work, 'what time is the three o'clock parade?'. Well folks, that's a tough one. My favorite example though was telling guests how to use the trash cans on multiple occasions. It's not rocket science people.

3. Watching all the backstage "magic" isn't actually that magical.

Every day to get to work you have to walk through the mythical tunnels so you don't ruin the show for guests. After all, how would you feel if you saw a pirate over in Fantasyland? Whole vacation - ruined. Besides, they smell distinctly like rotten onions on a daily basis.

4. College Programmers are fondly referred to as ' slave labor".

Disney ever so kindly provides housing for all of the people participating in the DCP. But to miss out on an opportunity to make money would just be silly. Our rent is $107 a week, with six girls living in the apartment. Over eight months of living there, they easily take over $18,000 of our hard earned money that we killed ourselves to make. Working 50 - 70 hours a week for some locations isn't completely unheard of and sometimes even normal.

5. You are easily disposable.

Disney has waves of people coming through every year to only work there a short amount of time. The DCP is something that is highly sought after and considered a great achievement. People from all over the world come to participate just to add this fortune 500 company to their resume. So when someone leaves early, it isn't a big deal. They will have someone in your spot next Tuesday.

6. After a while you get sick of the parks.

I have ridden almost every ride in both Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom several times, know how to navigate each by heart, and can tell you where every scary part is on the rides. Animal Kingdom I conquered once and never had the desire to go back. I haven't spent much time in Epcot, but as someone who lives for thrill rides and doesn't get paid enough to try foods at every country in world showcase, it doesn't seem to be the park for me.

7. You don't actually get to play with the kids.

As an early childhood education major, I love kids. I can't live without them. Naturally I am used to spending large amounts of my time talking about pirates and princesses. But Florida is hot and their mom said they couldn't have a bubble wand, so trying to interact with the children down here is a lot like sticking your hand in a pit full of alligators.

I came to Disney because I had a quarter life crisis and didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. After working here though, I know for a fact that I belong in a classroom getting to teach little kids. So along with the free Mickey ears, at least I got that out of this program.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

1589
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less
Jenna Pizzi and her mom smiling by a waterfront with a historic ship in the background.
Jenna Pizzi

There is always a time in the semester when you have about three papers, four tests, five assignments and two projects due within the same time period. Isn't that just the best?

It's almost as if the professors all plot against you just to make college even more stressful than it already is. No matter how many people try to make you feel better, no one ever compares to your mom. Moms always know exactly what to say.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Jobs Your Roommate Has

She's got your back with everything that college throws at you.

1694
Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey in scrubs sit against a wall, smiling and enjoying a break.

If you are anything like my roommate and I, you have a friendship with your roomie. You’re lucky to have gotten a roommate that is easy to get along with and more importantly cool to live with. Whether you found her on Facebook or went random, a roommate is a big part of life in college. This list goes through some of the jobs that a roommate has that help you get through college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

35 Things I Wish I Learned In My Freshman Year Of College

Just some relatable college student advice! Yes, you aren’t the only one!

1451
Towson University
YouTube

Freshman year can either be the greatest year, or the roughest year. It depends on your transition and how you adjust. For me, freshman year in college was one of the best years of my life. However, looking back, there are a few things that I wish I learned.

Now that I am a sophomore, I can finally do things a little differently. Here are a few things that I wish I learned my freshman year of college!

Keep Reading...Show less
Woman in field with a red heart-shaped balloon under a colorful sky.

Being single can be great and awful at the same time. Yeah, it's awesome to have time to yourself to figure out who you are and make your own decisions. It would also be nice to have someone to go through life with, but it needs to be the right person. I haven't found that person yet and here's a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments