Everyone shudders at the words “college”. But who’s to say college has any of the negative connotations used to describe it? Imagine a college life surrounded by Disney characters in the happiest place on Earth? Well, look no further! That college experience is in existence, and thousands of college kids from all around the world take part in it. It is called the Disney College Program.

The Open Gates
Started in 1981, it is a U.S. national internship program operated by The Walt Disney Company, located at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. In its early days, it was known as the Magic Kingdom College Program (MKCP), and the program consisted of over 200 students from 20 schools working in only the Magic Kingdom. The program has since expanded to four parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom), and opportunities are now available at the Disneyland Resort in California.

A Sting Goes The Distance
Miami High alumna Katering Flores (Class of 2014) took part in the Disney College Program from February 2, 2015, to August 7 as part of the Spring Advantage Program. Katering worked as an Epcot greeter, or someone who welcomes you into the park with a smile and is there at the exit giving you a huge Mickey Mouse wave goodbye.
“To work for Disney and get out of my house for a couple months sounded awesome for me,” said Katering, who liked meeting and living with new people and working for Disney.
However, it doesn’t just take the flick of your fairy godmother’s wand and the words “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” to be a part of the program. There are a set of requirements applicants must meet before sending in their application. As stated on the website, you must be enrolled and taking classes at an accredited institution and have completed at least one semester or have graduated within the past six months. Furthermore, you must meet any requirements that your school requires before you participate, be at least 18 years old, and possess an unrestricted work authorization.
For Katering, getting into the program wasn’t difficult, but she said the waiting time after she submitted her application caused tension. “Questions like “Will they take me?” and “Was my interview good enough?” crowded my mind. I first applied and then did a web interview. Then I waited for an email to schedule a phone interview,” she said.

Heigh-Ho, It’s Off To Work We Go
The Disney College Program is a paid-internship. The jobs vary, from indoors and outdoors, and depending on the participants’ role, they will receive an hourly rate of pay. A full-time schedule requires flexibility because jobs include working days and nights, weekends, holidays and during any hour of the day. Each of the jobs offered provides a different learning and working experience. From costumes to role responsibilities, no job is the same when working for Disney. However, all participants have the opportunity to develop communication and problem-solving skills, and work on their confidence and self-reliance.
Katering had a great time as a participant in the program,. “My best experience was meeting all of my friends, My Epcot Family. I can say that I have friends from pretty much the whole world. I got to learn a little bit of Korean, French, Chinese and Australian slang,” she said.
Being a park greeter brought along stories as well. “You get random hugs from the most adorable little kids ever. Once during Valentine’s Day, I actually got a Valentine from one adorable little boy,” she said.
Some days for Katering, weren’t as magical as others. “Sometimes your day will suck because it’s hot or guests are not happy,” she said.

All Work, But Yes There’s Play
Many other advantages come from being a part of the Disney College Program. Besides gaining experience with communicating and problem-solving, there are pay and benefits for each participant. Moreover, discounts at select Walt Disney World and Disneyland dining, merchandise and recreation locations are offered, as well as at the resort hotels and for the Disney Cruise Line. Participants receive theme park admission, sneak previews of new attractions, parks and resorts, wellness programs, seminars, life management services, and much more.

Staying At The House Of Mouse
Apart from working a job, the program is composed of Living. Students are provided with an apartment with many amenities, including kitchen appliances, utensils and dishes, water, electricity, high-speed internet, and cable. Students may also request to live-off site, but will not have the luxury of using the Disney-sponsored transportation. The cost of housing per week depends on the size of the apartment and on the apartment complex, and it ranges from $87 to $100 per week for Walt Disney World participants and $140 for Disneyland Resort participants. The cost is automatically deducted weekly from members’ paychecks. When it came to the living conditions, there were some drawbacks for Katering. “I got random roommates, so I didn’t know these girls until the day I got there. One roommate and I didn’t like each other and we had to live together for 6 months because neither of us wanted to move out,” she said.

Class Is In Session
With the word “college” evident in the program’s name, learning opportunities are offered to participants, including collegiate courses and seminars which “contain levels of academic rigor not uncommon to the classes you take at your own college or university.” Like any college course, participants will have textbooks to read, essays to write, and projects to complete. Students are responsible for purchasing textbooks and paying for applicable course materials and fees.
Katering took college classes online. “It was hard for me because of work, but I managed,” she said. “It is not mandatory to take a Disney class or college class while doing the program.”

There’s No Place Like Home
When it came down to recommending the program, Katering said it was all up to the person. “I met strong people during the program that ended up getting homesick. It’s just how you feel about being away from home, handling your life, doing budgets, and making sure your check lasts long enough for food and to do all the fun stuff,” she said.
When her time as a Disney employee came to an end on August 7th, Katering left with a new way of seeing things. “I have love for people that are so different than me, guys and girls with so many different backgrounds than me,” she said. “Also, patience is what you need to make lines at Disney during the summer.”

Be Their Guest
In the words of Walt Disney, “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” If you’re curious about the program and would like to be a part of the magical world of Disney, then go explore the stories of former and current Disney College Program participants and find out more information on the program itself at its website (http://cp.disneycareers.com/en/default/).