Disney College Program helped my daughter get a job.

The CP has helped my applications to Law schools, I did mine back in 2006 and am applying to Law school this cycle. Disney opened doors for me with Apple as well. I hope to go back as a legal intern but I visit my friends a couple of times a year. I am hoping to do a graduation photo shoot in the World specifically Fantasyland in May. Finally went back to finish my undergrad. I have actually used some of the things I learned on the program at school. I survived 22 credit hours with a study abroad trip, three jobs, and two sports this past semester without any of my family wanting to kill me. Grad nights and holidays at Disney made these things look so easy.
 
My DCP story.

I applied to the DCP when I was right on the heels of the Great Recession. I didn't need a job but wanted to get experience and I applied to the DCP, I didn't take it seriously when I applied and somehow managed to get through the WBI and the phone interview. My shock an surprise when I got an offer that very same week. My father yelled at me to accept it once I told him about it. I had not seriously been considering going - I had just see the trifold in my career center at my university about it. Googling about it led me to this website and I started realizing this was a bigger deal than I thought it had been. I ended up receiving some of the best training in customer service - I worked at the Emporium at WDW and it was rough. But I credit much of my current skills due to those 7 months I spent there. When I returned home after my program, I instantly landed a helpdesk role at my university. I never had to worry about getting a call, I suddenly was the person turning down interviews.

Fast forward a year and a half, and I only applied to two jobs upon graduation. I got both of them. One was a Professional Internship at Disney in my field and the other one was a rotational program that began shortly after I finished my Disney PI. Now it is 2 years later and I am majorly successful and I am constantly being told that my customer service skills are one of my largest pluses. That comes back to Disney - in fact a former PI recruiter works at the company I work at now and while I am job searching again, the places I am considering are big tech name that I would never had the opportunity to even apply at if it wasn't for that program I applied for 5 years back. My DCP was not an easy period during my life and I don't necessarily think I would do it again, but it certainly changed me and has become a part of my daily fabric in how I treat others.
 
I worked at the Emporium at WDW and it was rough.
WOW!:)

I have always thought doing a CP at The Emporium has to be the Merchandise "version" of a Food Services' CP at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café!lol:)

I was talking to a CPer who was doing their CP at The Emporium once and they said the absolute worst was when so many Guests would "funnel" through The Emporium when Main Street USA was "closed" for a parade!:)

Congrats on SURVIVING a CP at The Emporium and also best wishes on your future!:)
 
WOW!:)

I have always thought doing a CP at The Emporium has to be the Merchandise "version" of a Food Services' CP at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café!lol:)

I was talking to a CPer who was doing their CP at The Emporium once and they said the absolute worst was when so many Guests would "funnel" through The Emporium when Main Street USA was "closed" for a parade!:)

Congrats on SURVIVING a CP at The Emporium and also best wishes on your future!:)

I don't think it was awful. It taught me a lot about customer service. I loved being an expeditor and it was a family there. What I hated most was the hours, I didn't get to participate in many of CP events because I would be getting off work at 6 AM and sleeping until 2 PM just to get enough sleep. I would be scheduled for 6 hour shifts six times a week. I know some CPers got 2 days off a week but I normally only got one a week. Working at the Emporium was amazing in how many different people I got to meet, I created a lot of magical moment. I lost track of how many four key cards I got while on my CP. But yeah, the Emporium is the most busy merchandise store in the world. We saw probably 30,000 guest a day and it was quite a challenge but my customer service stories can never be forgotten.

Though I could do without ever wearing that plaid skirt again and my legs got in great shape walking the full length of the Emporium throughout those shifts! The parade was the best time, we were able to restock the shelves while people were distracted, but yes, the parades were meant to funnel guests to the front of the park and into the Emporium. I did my CP spring advantage, I kinda wish I had done a fall one because it has more holidays but it was still worth it.

It is a little weird being on this site because this is where I came after I got accepted to figure out what to bring and find out what the program was like 6 years ago.
 
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I know this is probably in the wrong place, but it might be beneficial to someone who knows someone considering the DCP. After going to summer school a few summers and graduating from college a semester early, our daughter decided to do the Disney college program. I guess it was a way to play before having to start working in earnest for the rest of her life.

First of all, Disney works the kids like dogs. $10 per hour + OT. They work 50-60 hours per week and most of that on their feet. The CP apartments were a complete dump. When she moved in, the bathtub was so disgusting that no matter how much they tried to clean it, they still had to wear flip fops to take a shower.

Before the program ended, she applied for and got a professional internship with Disney. It was more behind the scenes, in which she worked in a park part of the time, though also had an office off stage as they call it. She got $1 more per hour, but made less money because there was no OT. It was strictly a 40 hour per week job. I thought it was nothing but waste of time and money, and a way to put off the inevitable of going out and finding a real career.

When she returned home after the program was over, she started applying for jobs online. The first week she applied for maybe 50-60 jobs (mostly out of her degree field). The request for interviews started pouring in. At first, online and telephone interviews and then she was driving out of town each week for followup personal interviews. Many of the companies she talked to ACTUALLY TOLD HER; what made her stand out was her experience in the Disney College Program and Professional Internship. Within 3 weeks of starting to apply for jobs, she accepted her first job (which was in her degree field). What I thought was a complete waste of time and money, turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
I have always wondered if the Disney College Program ever made a difference a on a resume. My family keeps telling me it is a waste of time.
 

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