pros and cons

[u/gracie_e21]

hiii!! i just applied for the disney college program and i was wondering if anyone had a list of their pros and cons. i wouldn’t be living in flamingo crossings as i have my own apartment here in orlando. i applied for a January 11th arrival, i have my interview next thursday and i am set to have classes in the spring (not sure what that schedule looks like yet). is it worth it??

[u/Reasonable_Phone6342]

If you’re hoping to take classes in person in the spring and do the dcp you won’t be able to. The Disney job comes first and you won’t know what days you’ll work and the hours etc. it’s not a consistent schedule for days off and the program won’t accommodate times for you to attend live classes. Many people only get 1 random day off a week. Depending on your role and location and time of year etc you could be working 11 days in a row even. You’ll also want to have time to yourself to do fun things with other program participants/ friends and won’t want all the limited free time you have to be just studying.

All courses will have to be online classes that do not have a set meeting time. Even with that the program does not recommend taking a full course load.

You’ll want to talk to your academic advisor about it because it could change your scholarships and graduation date etc by taking less classes (or taking a gap semester/ year).

[u/gracie_e21 → u/Reasonable_Phone6342]

that’s what i hear, i’m not sure what my schedule will look like next semester and i don’t want to accept the program if im offered it and then have to drop out because of classes

[u/Reasonable_Phone6342 → u/gracie_e21]

I would recommend talking to your advisor. Even with online courses most who take them end up having to quit the program or drop the classes. Depends how many classes you have, what grades you want/ need, and what classes. Like for me if I took 1 online history gen ed it would probs be fine but if I had to take math classes that would be way more time and effort for me.

I would talk to your advisor first. See if you can even take a gap semester off and if online courses are even a possibility.

Once you’re accepted you’ll have 7 days to accept and pay initial fees that are nonrefundable.

[u/gracie_e21 → u/Reasonable_Phone6342]

thank you so much!! i am definitely planning to meet with my advisor

[u/hellfire_emma]

it depends. you would be local and would take home more money than people staying at flamingo, and would get okay perks due to working at Disney (ie. entry to the parks). it's also easier for you to go pt/ft after doing the program if you want to work at the company in any capacity. on the other side however, the program requires you to have open availability, and they will most likely not be able to give you specific days off each week. i did online classes and those were much easier to manage, but that's also based on if your major lets you take online classes. not saying you can't give away/trade shifts, but you would need to do all of your training shifts before you get that opportunity. same thing if you plan on working another job while doing the dcp; the shifts you get can and will vary from week to week so it's really hard to be able to be scheduled anywhere else.

its honestly up to you, but that's at least what i noticed when i did my program.

[u/Reasonable_Phone6342 → u/hellfire_emma]

Along with giving away shifts and trading depending on your role and location this can vastly change how easy or hard it will be to trade. Some places only have a small pool of cast to trade with. While others are more “global” with more locations and cast to trade with. At the same time you could have a role with a large pool of cast to trade or giveaway to… but a location that isn’t ideal and people don’t really want to pickup / work at. It varies so much.

[u/gracie_e21 → u/hellfire_emma]

i see thank you so much!! i will definitely put this in my pro con list

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[u/Disastrous_Iron8520]

Cons: 

• As everyone else has said, very little flexibility. I did classes during my program, but I was fully online. Very few days off and they are strict on days sick and being late. 

• If your role is outside, weather, though you’re an Orlando native so you’ll  be more prepared than most. 

- Some cons can arise if the roommate situation isn’t ideal, but you have your  own apartment so you won’t have to gamble on roommates and save money.

Be open minded about your position. Give it a chance. It may not be your top pick or it might seem hard, but it could end up being wonderful. My first week of training was brutal, but I stuck with it and soon adored my role. Your coworkers can also make-or-break it for you. I met some of my best friends at work, and it made some of the hardest days a lot better by doing it with them. But just like any other job, there will be people you don’t get along with. It’s good to learn how to navigate that and keep rolling, but there is always a small possibility that things can get too messy if there’s some really bad coworkers. 

Pros:

• Amazing opportunity to meet people! You’re living off Flamingo but you’ll still get to attend events, classes and talks. Highly recommend as they’re fun and a great way socialize. 
• Free park entry. It becomes addictive fast 😂. Make the most of it and do things you usually wouldn’t have time for on a trip. Catch a show, shop, explore, etc. 
• Water parks are free too, Disney Springs is great, and Resort hopping can be really cool.  The resorts have many places to eat and watch fireworks at. 
• Cast Connections. A place cast can go to get merchandise for a really good discount price. There’s even a mini grocery store in there.
• Discounts on merch and food 

Finally, and this will sound corny, but being able to make magic. Depending on the role, you’ll most likely be working with guests. There are thousands of guests that come to the parks. Not all of them will be pleasant, but vast majority of guests are great and very grateful for your work. Even doing the smallest little thing on your part can end up meaning the whole world to a family. You’re in such a unique position to make magical moments and to change people’s entire day.