My Disney Application Journey
So last winter I was scrolling job boards feeling totally lost career-wise. Saw the Disney College Program ad pop up for the 100th time – you know those shiny “magical internship” posters? Decided to finally dive in. Signed up thinking “why not get paid to ride Space Mountain?”
Application was straight-up exhausting:
- Spent 3 whole nights filling out personality quizzes (“Would you prioritize guest safety over merchandise sales?” Like duh?)
- Recorded 4 different video responses until I stopped sounding like a robot
- Waited 2 months chewing my nails before getting the “Congratulations!” email
That’s when reality slapped me. Had to scramble $435 for program fees NEXT DAY. Almost backed out right there.
The Real Park Life
First day at Magic Kingdom felt like joining the army. They handed me this polyester costume that itched like hell in Florida humidity. My “role”? Operating popcorn carts 8 hours straight while tourists yelled at me for $15/hr.
Quick reality check nobody tells you:
- Your “roommates”? Could be 5 strangers in 600sq ft apartment. Mine snored like chainsaws.
- “Free park access”? Lol good luck using it after standing 10 hours shifts.
- You will scrub gum off sidewalks during “utilidoors” tunnel duty. Magic my ass.
Where It ACTUALLY Shined
Midway through the misery though, some genuine perks showed up:
- Got real leadership training handling Epcot wine festival chaos
- Disney name on resume did open doors later for hospitality jobs
- Made solid friends – bonding over cheap wine at 3am after closing shifts
That day they made me parade dancer? Sweating buckets in Goofy costume but kids’ faces made it kinda worth it.
Bottom Line After 6 Months
Moving out felt like prison release. Final pros/cons tally:
- ✅ Resume boost is real – HRs actually comment on it
- ✅ Work ethic? Hardcore upgrade
- ❌ $15/hr vs Florida rent? Broke af daily
- ❌ “Networking” = mostly drunk coworkers
- ❌ PTSD from “It’s a Small World” looping 8hrs/day
So… worth it? Hell no if you’re doing it for “magic.” Lost 15lbs sweating in costumes and cried twice in break rooms. But… if you need foot-in-door for tourism gigs or wanna test your limits? Honestly… kinda? Just don’t expect Cinderella. More like step-sister life scrubbing floors til midnight.
Still keep that itchy polyester polo though. Makes a killer warning story for my YouTube subs.
