When preparing for the Disney College Program, you learn a lot about what to expect while on the program, but no one really talks about what happens AFTER the experience is over.
Life after the Disney College Program is nothing like life before the Disney College Program. While you may be back home, living in the same place, going to the same classes, seeing the same people and doing the same things, NOTHING is the same.
At first, it feels good to be back home, especially if you didn't ever get to visit home while you were there. You are no longer working 40+ hour work weeks or living with five, six, or even seven other roommates. You most likely have forgotten how easy life was when all you had to do was go to school and sit on your rear-end for most of the day. Returning to this life is like a breath of fresh air, and you are loving every breath you take! Until... this very erie feeling sinks in, and suddenly, you feel as if you have never even left.
"Did I really live and work in Disney? Did I ever even leave this town in the first place? Was it all one big, long, crazy-amazing, crazy-exhausting dream?"
The only thing that kept me from believing it was all a dream was the fact that I literally carried the DCP (Disney College Program) with me everywhere I went. Quite honestly, this made me feel like a fish out of water in my own hometown. Suddenly, wearing Mickey Mouse everything wasn't cool. Suddenly, telling the girl next to you in class that her hair is gorgeous like Princess Aurora's isn't a normal compliment. Suddenly, pointing with two fingers is strange, calling customers "guests" is unusual and telling a little girl she's a princess is a little creepy. I thought I loved Disney before the program, but now my love had reached an entirely new level. My heart raced at the mention of anything Disney around me, and I eagerly jumped into conversations I wasn't invited to. I was a walking Disney encyclopedia, looking for any chance to pass on my Disney wisdom.
Applying for new jobs at home was difficult and easy all at the same time. It was difficult to imagine working for anyone besides Disney. (Truly, no other company could hold a candle to it.) On the other hand, it was a piece of cake. Companies would see Disney on my resume and almost jump out of their seats. As a DCP alumn, you come to expect to be asked about Disney in every single job interview you get. The trouble was that I was right about no other company holding a candle to Disney. In every job I've had since, I have found something the company does wrong that Disney did right. It's frustrating. I cannot tell you how many times I've imparted "Four Keys" wisdom (Disney's priority ladder) onto my leaders, trying to make every company I've worked for at least half as good as Disney. (I seriously use the Four Keys every day, and I honestly don't plan on stopping any time soon.)
Some habits I learned while on the program have since faded. The day I pointed with one finger again, I nearly died inside. That was the moment I realized Disney was slipping away from me. Slowly but surely the Disney jokes disappeared, and the Disney advice found a place to settle and hibernate in my brain. I still dust it off and use it from time-to-time, but I don't go out of my way to look for it anymore. While it was hard living at home with a Disney mindset, losing my Disney mindset after living at home for a while was just as tough.
As a DCP alumn, you cannot help but question your life at this point. (Yes, I realize this may sound dramatic, but those who have been there will understand.) Each day you spend back home, brings you another step further away from the other place you learned to call your home, Walt Disney World. The excitement of being with friends and family again and the excitement of continuing your educational journey quickly wears off, and you realize, "I HAVE to go back." Once you feel the Disney magic leaving, you can't ignore the emptiness inside you. This, my friends, is what I like to call the "Post-DCP Depression." It's a real thing.
Remember the show "LOST?" If you ever watched the Emmy Award-winning show, you might remember the strange phenomenon that occurred within the survivors once they finally got off the island. They HAD to go back. The island was pulling them, and instead of being grateful to be back home, they began wondering how and when they could return to the island again.
Disney World is my island. It's our island. It pulls and tugs on the heartstrings of every DCP alumn. In all honestly, of all the DCP alumni I know, not one of them hasn't returned to work for Disney already or has plans to (including myself). I'm sure there are some that move on just fine, but I'm certain it's not the majority. It pulled me, and it tugged me, and all I could do was absolutely nothing. For two years now, I've been communicating in an on-going group text with my former DCP roommates. For two years now, I've been watching and re-watching a thousand videos I took while on the program. For two years now, I've thought about Disney literally every single day. This is life after the Disney College Program.
I don't regret doing the program at all. Truly, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I'm also completely happy with where I'm at in my life. I don't live in the past, but I do visit it often. The Disney magic may be gone, but the impact of it is still strong. The Disney College Program has taught me how to make even the smallest of things exciting, and it has helped me see a world that's full of endless possibilities. Life after the program may be a little tricky to navigate at first, but once you've gotten past the fog, you can see clearly what made the journey worth it. After working for Disney, life just isn't the same, but that's kind of a wonderful thing.
If you're a DCP alumn, did you experience the Post-DCP Depression? Also, in what ways has the Disney College Program impacted YOUR life? Let me know in the comments below!
