Have you ever dreamed of living at the "most magical place on Earth"? Me too. That is why this past spring I participated in the Disney College Program. It is an internship in which college students can apply for to work at either Walt Disney World or Disneyland for up to a year.
Be warned, it is extremely competitive to get into (especially the fall program) and is hard work once you get there. However, your program will be what you make of it. They offer college credit classes, seminars with DCP Alumni in the field you may be pursuing, free admission to parks (you can save up money to go to other Disney parks around the world, with your Cast Member discounts), and lasting friendships from all over the world. If you do the WDW Program, you'll relate.
1. You notice if there is something/someone missing in the Festival of Fantasy/Electrical Parade that day.
It's just not the same without *insert missing item*!
2. The best time to go to the parks is when it's raining.
All the tourists run away due to the "inconvenience" of getting wet, which make wait times go down rapidly. Perfect time to go on Splash Mountain, too, since you'll already be wet!
3. 90 percent of the shifts you were scheduled were closing shifts.
Accurate GIF of what you look like when you get home at three in the morning after working a nine-hour closing shift. You have to remember that you are at the bottom of the totem pole and have to work with what you're given. Even if you requested off months in advance, you are not guaranteed that day off.
4. Looking forward to the big check after working overtime, then realizing rent is taken out every week by Disney Housing and you're not left with much.
It looks like I'll have just enough for gas, some frozen meals, and Ramen. I could spend more on food if I took the Transtar buses, but then I would lose hours of my time and get points on my record for being late, even if it's not my fault.
5. You did your character and on property meals for breakfast or after 8p.m. to get the Cast Member discount.
This meant either you got your closing shift switched, or you didn't get much sleep the night before. But hey, eating breakfast with Lilo and Stitch is worth it.
6. Knowing your home park like the back of your hand (including the tunnels, aka Utilidors, if you worked in Magic Kingdom, like me).
Honestly, people pay so much money to tour tunnels that smell like sewage that it baffles me. Plus, there's nothing like seeing your favorite character with their head off only to reveal—well, let me not ruin the magic for you.
7. You can share a large closet-sized room with two other people with ease (and the bathroom).
Don't let the pretty entrances to the apartment complexes fool you; we still had to deal with slow security check ins, green carpets, and inspections every month. You prayed that you would get along with your roommates, especially when going random.
8. You know have friends from all over the world, giving you an excuse to travel and a place to stay.
Now I have a place to stay in Paris and can visit Disneyland there!
9. Having many heartbreaking goodbyes if your friends' programs ended before yours.
But I just got to know you!
10. The best time (when it isn't raining) to go on popular attractions is during Celebrate the Magic and Wishes.
Quick! To Space Mountain!
11. The Four Keys apply to everything in your life, even outside of the parks.
Safe D does not begin with that guy.
12. You will always remember the first and the last time you saw the castle during your program.
There were probably some tears on both occasions.
If you want to experience all of these things, go to here and apply. Applications launch for the following semester in the beginning of the current semester.
