Reminiscing about the DAK Wilderness

I've been missing my park home lately, so I visited DAK not once, but twice last weekend to see my old home. I love my new job, but since Animal Kingdom is where I began my Disney journey I will always have a BIG soft spot towards it. I hadn't been the Animal Kingdom in a while and hadn't visited any of my old locations since the Spring. So I decided to use the afternoon on Saturday to earn a few badges before meeting an old presenter friend in the evening. Despite being at the park for a few hours on Saturday and a little on Sunday, I actually didn't do many of the parks attractions. That's because I always run into people I knew working there or get into good conversations with new cast. I loved being able to spend time watching the animals, meeting a few trails CPs, catching up with a DVC friend, and talking with the current Conservation Education Presenter Group. It made me miss my time there some and I wish I was able to pick up a shift once in a while to relive my days as a Wilderness Explorer Troop Leader.

I remember when I was first learning about the Presenter internship I came across this video and I came across it again last week so in the spirit of reminiscing, I figured I would share it with you. With the start of the Wilderness Explorer program, the costume and role for the Presenters has changed, but overall responsibilities she talks about have remained the same. Enjoy!

Disney Professional Internship Presenter Video

Twitter Recruiter Q&A Fall 2014

I have done a series of posts about the Twitter Q&As that the Dinsey Profesional Intern Recruiters have put on the last few semesters. Here are the questions that I have found that the recruiters answered during the Fall 2014 season. These are the questions the recruiters answered during the session, which is not all that were asked. I will do a separate post answering the questions that went unanswered. 

Main Questions Answered During Q&A Session
Note: The further back I go in twitter, the harder it has been to find all the questions and answers that were apart of the session. The numbering is what was included in the Questions and Answers on twitter unless otherwise noted.
Q1: Some engineering PIs are listed "Internship/Co-op" Is it possible to apply specifically for a rotating co-op?

A1. You are eligible to participate on Disney internships more than one semester – you would need to apply each time

Q2: Is there any flexibility with the GPA requirements for the internships? Will a university's academic rigor be taken into account?

A2. The GPA requirement, like all eligibility requirements, is a strict requirement and must be met as is.

Question Not Listed (probably: how many internships is suggested that we should we apply for? or I heard we should only apply for 3, is this the max?)

A3. There is not a suggested maximum, but we ask that you show focus by applying to internships within your field of study

Question Not Listed (probably: Do I have to have done a CP to do a PI?)

A4. Many internships do not require that you have worked for the Company before, so highlight your relevant experience on your resume

Question Not Listed (probably: I graduated in ___, can I do an internship?)

A5. We ask that you are currently enrolled in a college/university, or graduated within 6 months of the start date of this internship

Question Not Listed (probably: I'm from ___, can I do an internship?)

A6. Applicants must possess work authorization to work in the US

Question Not Listed (probably: How do I apply to Alumni Only roles. I can't find their applications?)

A7. You can apply to the Alumni Only Roles with one application, then choose specific roles on the role checklist

Question Not Listed (probably: Is it required to have previous Disney experience?)

A8.While it's preferred to have Disney experience, it's only a requirement for some positions and will state so on the job description

Q9: Can you please tell me the timing of your selection process?

A9. Timeline will vary role to role, stay tuned to your dashboard for updates

Q10: What does “In Progress” mean?

A10. Your application is currently under review by the recruitment team, and you are in consideration for the role

Other Questions Answered

When are the ESPN internship opportunities for Spring or Summer 2015 in Bristol, Connecticut posted?

Spring Positions will be posted this weekend, and Summer positions will be posted just after the new year

Is applying for a professional internship a better idea at the beginning or nearing the end of a persons college education

Most PI's are looking for a minimum of Junior level status, so see the job descriptions for more details

Most of your summer production internships are for undergrads. Will there be great opportunities for grads next year?

Every summer, we offer exciting internship opportunities. Please visit http://www.disneyinterns.com  this Spring to learn more

I'm graduating this semester, hopefully doing the college program in the spring, can I apply after that internship?

You are able to complete two internships back to back if selected

Does having previous experience as a @DisneyCPInterns help when trying to apply for a @DisneyInterns?

CP experience is a great way to learn our Culture, network with leaders, and prepare for the next step in your Career

Besides experience in their field, what are some things students gain from an internship at Disney?

Learning from industry experts and networking with leaders from across the Company are two unique components

Top 3 tips for a phone screen?

Have confidence, share relevant experience to the role, and be professional throughout the interview

Is applying for a professional internship a better idea at the beginning or nearing the end of a persons college education?

Most PI's are looking for a minimum of Junior level status, so see the job descriptions for more details

If you have different resumes on your profile, can you choose which one is attached to each application?

Yes, you can customize each resume for each application, or use one resume for all applications

No Question Listed (Probably what is the average number of interviews?)

The number of interviews will depend on the role, anywhere from 1 - 3 interviews on average per position.

Unanswered Questions from the Spring 2015 Twitter Q&A

Unanswered Questions

The following are questions that were asked, but not answered by the recruiters, during the Spring 2015 Twitter Q&A session. I took a go at answering them so people could get their answers. :) I broke them up into categories of similar questions to make it a little easier to look at. 

Eligibility

Are there any available for UK residents?

If i'm not from the USA could I apply for your intern program?

PI's generally require you to be eligible to work in the US and have unrestricted work access. I don't think that Disney really sponsors people to get work access so if you don't already have a visa I think it would be hard to get a PI. There are cultural representative programs open to international students and you could always email the recruiting team to double check and see if you could do a PI.

Is there a certain age group Disney tries to keep to when choosing an intern?

Definitely not! It is actually illegal to make hiring decisions based on age and I've seen interns be a WIDE variety of ages. As long as you have the experience and the qualities that recruiters/hiring managers are looking for you'll be considered!

I graduated last May. Is it possible to apply for an internship still?

Do you accept applicants who have graduated more than 6 months ago if they graduated from an accelerated degree program?

PIs either require you to have graduated within 6 months of applying or 6 months of starting the position depending on the PI. They are pretty strict on the requirements of the PI, so make sure you are eligible before applying. If you have graduated more than 6 months ago you can apply for full or part time positions. If you have the right experience you might just get the position!

Are recent graduates eligible? Is it a paid internship? Do science majors apply?

This question pretty much needs to be answered in three parts:

-Recent grads are eligible and either require you to have graduated within 6 months of applying or 6 months of starting the position depending on the PI, so look at the requirements of the positions you are looking at. 

-All PIs are paid, but the pay does WIDELY vary based on position. 

-There a variety of internships for science majors, everything from chemistry to biotechnology to science education to engineering, etc. It's one of the awesome parts of Disney, they have just about any job you can think of!

Applications

If I already had a phone interview, can I still send in apps for other PIs?

Yes! I did this during my second cycle applying. Not all PIs are posted at the same time, so if you see one you are interested in and qualified for, I say apply! Just realize they will likely use the same phone screen you already did to determine which internships you will be further considered for. Occasionally they will call to ask follow up questions if need be.

Are applications reviewed on a rolling basis or not until the deadline for application passes?

They are viewed on a rolling basis. My first internship I applied on the last day and got the position! For positions that go through recruiting, the recruiter will usually wait to pass on resumes until after the posting has ended. They will likely start doing phone screenings before the posting closes since there are so many applications. For PIs that don't do phone screenings like animal programs they sometimes start interviewing before applications close but are good at pacing out interviews and acceptances based on the number of positions they have.

What are you looking for in a resume? How can I make my resume stand out?

Resumes pass through an electronic scanner to weed out applicants that are not qualified so make sure you use key words from the job postings. Make sure you proof read it and highlight the required and preferred qualifications that you have in your experiences.

What's the number one thing that recruiters are looking for?

Since I'm not a recruiter I don't know for sure, but I would say they want to make sure that applicants fit well with the Disney Values.

Timeline

How long after an application is "In Progress" does it normally take to hear back about progress?

Depends by position. Different departments go at different paces. For many positions, recruiters have to pass along a narrowed list of candidates after a phone screen which can take a while. Then it is up to the department to find the time in their work schedule to interview the candidates and chose who they want which can take a while. Then their picks will get passed along to recruiting to notify the applicants, which can take a while. This is the most general case scenario, but as you can see it can take a while :)

Is there a timeline as to when we will be notified of consideration for a position, or does it vary?

Varies heavily based on position. Just keep an eye on your email and dashboard and try to be patient. In the PI world there is a saying that has been going around for years: No news is good news. Basically saying if you haven't heard you aren't being considered you are still being considered.

Will there be a timeline after the application date is closed for us to know an update?

Generally for Fall internships they try to let everyone know by Thanksgiving (but some usually go past then) and in the Spring they try to let everyone know by the end of April.

How long will it take to get a response?

Varies. It is generally a LONG process. You sometimes can get a phone screening within a couple of days or weeks. Sometimes you won't get a phone screening. Sometimes you might not hear anything until you find out at the end that you are no longer being considered. It really depends on the internship, but as long as you aren't NLIC (no longer in consideration) just try and be patient because they are still considering you. 

For an internship how/when will we be notified if we are still being considered after we've sent in our materials?

You will usually find out within a day if you don't pass the initial resume scanner by getting an email saying that you are no longer in consideration, but beyond that it is a long process that varies heavily based on position.

Experience

How important is previous experience?

Very important! I think experience related to the position is what gets you to the interview with the hiring manager and your personality gets you the rest of the way there. So get related experience and it won't only help for Disney PIs but any other position you ever apply for, Disney related or not.

What is the possibility to get a data analyst intern if I have the skills but no work experience?

Depends on the specific internship. Some don't always require a lot of experience if you have the appropriate skills. However, the rule of thumb is you should meet all of the required qualifications and most of the preferred ones. If you don't meet the qualifications for any internship you want (including data analyst but really any field) then I would recommend trying to figure how to get those experiences that would allow you to meet those qualifications and try again another semester.

Other Questions

Are you allowed to do summer PI and CP in the fall if accepted to both?

Yes! You are allowed to be an intern for up to one continuous year with Disney. This can be any combination of CP, PI, or MI. If you want to do another internship you have to wait 6 months and still be eligible school wise. Most people do the CP than a PI, do a second PI after a PI, or extend their PI, but you are definitely allowed to do any combination you want.

Do Summer internships tend to be more competitive than fall or spring?

I'm not a recruiter so I don't know hard numbers. However, there are far less positions offered only for the summer. Now these are in very specific areas such as engineering, so I'm not sure if the number of applicants is actually any higher per internship since they are generally require very specific background. All PIs are pretty competitive.

What is the most effective way to find summer housing?

The easiest for just a summer term would to do Disney Housing since it would be hard to get a place for only a few months. However, there is a Cast Member Roommate Facebook Finder page you c

Is it possible to wait and see the results of our other PI applications before accepting our first offer received?

Depends. Most of the time I have heard the recruiter asking if they want to continue being considered for their other applications. So basically you accept the offer you were given and wait to see if you have others. I have also heard of times when the recruiter knows you're getting considered for more than one they will wait to hear from both departments and let you chose between them. However, this semester I have heard animal programs is saying that if you accept your position you will no longer be considered for any others, so this could start being seen more in other areas as well.

Is it possible for an applicant to get accepted into the DCP and for a PI? If so, how is it decided where they go?

Yes! This is not uncommon so the recruiters are really good at helping you through this. You will most likely hear back from the DCP first, so you will accept that. You will still be considered for the PIs and if you get one any fees you paid for the CP will be transferred to the PI if you are going to living in Disney PI housing or will be refunded 3 weeks after the start of your PI if you chose to find your own housing. 

Will interns be considered for full time employment once their internship ends?

If I get a job as a PI, will I have the option to transfer to a full-time position with the company once I complete my internship?

Ahhhh, this question again. As I have posted before, this is not really a short answer and definitely deserves its own post. I promise I will eventually get around to making that post.

Disney Ambassadors

The Disney Ambassador program is something that I learned about earlier this year during my time with the Walt Disney Company. It is a wonderful program where 1-2 cast members are chose to represent each of the different resorts around the world. These are truly some of the best of the best of the Disney company and they have the honor of representing the Company and their Resort with different public engagements and cast recognition events for a year term.

The Ambassador program started in Disneyland for their 10th anniversary in 1964 with the first Ambassador Julie Reihm. Walt Disney couldn't make it to every requested appearance during the busyness of the 10th anniversary, the success of the movies, and ProjectX (future Walt Disney World) so he chose Julie, who was a tour guide, to represent him when he wasn't available. Talk about a lot of responsibility to be Walt when he couldn't be there!

While the number of ambassadors for Walt Disney World during a given year has fluctuated from 1-3 individuals since the resort first opened, the current ambassador team represents the nearly 75,000 cast members at Walt Disney World resort. They also represent the cast at Hilton Head, Vero Beach, and the Disney Cruise Line. This is a very big responsibility and those chosen are truly representative of the legacy and ideals that the Walt and the Company hold dear.

The Disney Ambassador symbol.
You can identify a current ambassador if you see them wearing silver pin
with this symbol above their cast member name tag.
image source: http://publicaffairs.disneyland.com/community/ambassador-program/

I am currently taking a series of classes at Disney University and had the lucky opportunity to be in a class with one of the current Ambassadors, Nathaniel Palma. This was my first time meeting an ambassador, and in some ways I was almost a little awestruck. Here was someone that is literally a representative of the entire company, and I was sitting in class with him! I always enjoy reading the articles the ambassadors write during their cast shadows (they get to follow a role around for the day, learn about it, and write an article for the Hub. They even did a shadow of the Wilderness Explorers recently- my old team!) I was able to work with him on a few group projects in the class and ate lunch with him. It was so cool to hear about his adventures thus far in his role and all the cool work he does. He is probably one of the most positive people I have ever met and was truly genuine in thanking everyone for all the hard work they do. It was an honor to met him and I would love to cross paths with him again someday!

If you are a current cast member I encourage you to look up the Disney Ambassador module on the Hub. There are biographies on each of the past Disney Ambassadors and a lot of cool information including the stories that they post about their shadows!

For those who aren't current cast, or even those who are, the Disney Parks Blog has done a lot of cool articles about the Disney Ambassadors over the years. If you want to learn more about this cool position or these awesome people just search for "Disney Ambassador" in the search area. I've also included a few of my favorite articles down below. Enjoy!


Note: Reading these articles I just realized that Steven Miller was a Disney Ambassador in the "where are the ambassadors are now" type articles! You might recognize Steven Miller from the merchandise articles he writes for the Disney Parks Blog! I worked a little with him during my second PI as a Merchandise Planning intern. I literally walked by his office everyday and talked to him a handful of times during my work there about future items for articles and to help answer guest questions that were being asked on the blog. I can't believe that I never realized that he had been an ambassador! That is so cool. I could totally see him as an ambassador. He even had an important job as his ambassadorship was extended after the events of September 2001. It truly is amazing that at such a large company you have these connections!

Here is a cool interview the Disney Parks Blog had with the first ambassador, Julie. First Disneyland Resort Ambassador Comes ‘Home’ for 50th Anniversary of Disney Ambassador Program

Here is the article from when the current group of ambassadors were named last year (including Nathaniel!) First Disney Ambassador Julie Reihm Casaletto Welcomes New Ambassadors

Twitter Recruiter Q&A Spring 2015

I previously wrote a pair of articles about the Fall 2015 Twitter Recruiter Q&A and the answered a few unanswered fall 2015 twitter questions myself. I looked back a little further and found more questions from a Q&A done in the Spring 2015. Below are the recruiter answered questions and I answered the ones that were not answered by the recruiters in another post.


Recruiter Answered Questions

Main Questions Answered During Q&A Session
Q1: How can I apply if I'm a current Disney Store cast member? My Disney Careers portal just redirects me to the original posting.
A1: If you're an active cast member, you can apply for Internships through My Disney Careers. Otherwise, use http://DisneyCareers.com 

Q2: Does the process normally take a bit longer for Internships that require a portfolio? Like the Yellow Shoes Internships?
A2: The process shouldn’t take much longer, you simply need to upload your portfolio and your resume if requested in the posting.

Q3: Do you cater Professional Internships towards foreign students or recent grads?

A3: Read individual postings. Many postings allow for recent grads. All positions require that a candidate has US Work Authorization.

Q4: How can I make my application stand out?

A4: It’s all about your resume! Make sure it is easy to read and highlights your accomplishments that relate to the desired job.

Q5: How soon after submitting an application do you decide whether to give an interview? And how does that process work?
A5: Every area has a slightly different timeline, I recommend checking your dashboard for updates to your individual process.

Q6: I will be graduating in August. Is there any flexibility on start dates for Fall?A6: We do offer Fall only internships beginning in August/September, so be sure to check the job description for the position’s dates

Q7: How important are cover letters when applying to PIs

A7: Cover letters are a great way to showcase who you are and share your story and interest around a certain role

Q8: For accepted applicants for PIs without provided housing, how should they go about finding somewhere to live? 
A8: As this can vary depending on location, please speak with your recruiter about any housing questions at the time of offer

Q9: If you apply to more than one Internship (in a related field), should your cover letter be different for each Internship?
A9: If you are applying for similar types of roles, one cover letter for all of them is fine as it incorporates your overall purpose

Q10: How should I prepare for a phone screen interview?
A10: Read through the job description and be prepared to showcase your skills in relating to the position for the interview

Other Questions Answered by the Recruiters

I applied for a position after interviewing for another. The status bar moved to "In Progress". Am I being considered?

In progress shows that your application is under review by the recruitment team, and you are in consideration

What are your chances of getting a PI without having the CP experience?

While there are some Parks roles that do require the CP, there are also many that do not across the Company

Can I apply to both the Professional Internship Program and the Disney College program at the same time?

You can apply for both the CP and PI, and if offered both would make your selection at the time of offer

No Question Listed (Probably sometime like: Is there a limit of positions that you can apply for?)There is not a limit, apply for roles you’re interested in and qualified for, just stay focused in your job search

No Question Listed (Probably sometime like: Is there a list of all the internships offered? or Is such and such internship going to be offered next cycle?)

Internship opportunities may vary each season, so please visit http://www.disneyinterns.com  for all current openings

Meeting Disney Characters

One of the great things about getting an internship at Disney is the unlimited park access. This allows tons of time to experience the magic, including meeting Disney characters. There are a LOT of characters guests can meet at Disney from the Fab 5 to the Princesses to other common characters to meet like Pooh to characters you can only meet at parties to seasonal characters to rare characters that you come across just by chance. I don't know an official number or anything but the number exceeds 200. Now if you decide to meet characters you may want to commemorate your experience. Here are some ideas to help you do that.

Pictures The photopass team will take your pictures with the Disney camera, but the photographer or the character attendant is more than happy to take pictures with your personal camera.

Disney Autograph Books Many guests also get autograph books. A cheap way to get these is if you go to the damages shop now called Mickey's Treasures at Cast Connection. When merchandise is damaged it goes to this store where cast members can buy it for 75% off, including all types of autograph books. I got one of the Princess autograph books with pages to put pictures and a bunch of blank pages of all of the non-princesses to sign. The the only thing wrong with the book was the plastic covering was a little torn! This is what I began my character journey with. 

Homemade Autograph Books When I worked in the park I saw a lot of guests make their own autograph books. This is a cool way to go if you want to get creative. These are nice because you can make them as big as you want because if you are at Disney for 6+ months you might run out of space in one you buy through Disney. Just search Disney Autograph books on Pinterest and you will get a ton of cool ideas to inspire you!

Picture Frame Mats A current trend I have seen in the parks is to bring a plain picture frame mat for the characters to sign. Then you can put your favorite character picture in a frame to display your autographs for all to see!

Blank Canvas I really liked the picture frames the guests were bringing but I don't really use frames much and thought the space taken up by a picture could be put to another use. Therefore, I modified the picture frame mat concept and bought the flat canvases at Michaels, painted a design on them and brought them to the parks for the characters to sign. I made a few smaller ones for gifts for my picture and started a larger one for me. I still haven't given those ones to my sister yet and mine still has a little work to go, so I'll maybe post them at a later date. 

Disney Character Encyclopedia I think this is my new favorite idea. I have seen a handful of guests bring a book with all of the characters in it and have them sign on their page. I googled it and I think it is an inexpensive way that allows you to be prepared for just about any character you might encounter at the parks! Each character has their own page and there is even trivia and whatnot. Unfortunately not EVERY character is in the book, but it definitely covers a majority of the ones you'll encounter. Here is a link to it on Amazon: Disney Character Encyclopedia 

Other items I've seen guests bring everything from pillow cases to  t-shirts to canvas bags for characters to sign, so the possibilities are endless!

Now go see how many characters you can meet!

Some Minor Updates

I made a few minor updates with my blog that mostly included going back and fixing formatting errors, but I did add a few new blogs to the Other PI blogs page. As always, if you know of any blogs that I haven't included, let me know and I can add them to help other PI hopefuls!

Management Internship Panel Interview Questions

Management Internship Panel Interviews are just around the corner! Congrats to everyone who has scheduled their interview, whether it be in person or via video interview.

While I did not apply for Management Internships, I made some friends that were Management Interns while I was doing my professional internship. A big reason I made this blog was to help others through their Professional Internship journey since there is not always a lot of information out there, and there is even less information about Management Internships. Even though I do not really have personal experience with the MI process, I put my googling skills to the test and found a few new blogs with panel questions to combine with other MI blogs I had read in the past and the experiences my friends shared with me.

For your panel interview are scheduled for a 30 minute interview. I have heard/read that many people who interview in person have much shorter interviews that last more around 15-20 minutes. Some have said that it is because the 30 minute slot is the same time they have to do a video interview and it takes longer to set up the video software, etc and they want to interviews to be fair between people interviewing for the position.

You will likely be interviewing with anywhere from 2-5 current area leaders in the areas you applied to. Now if you are extremely amazing/lucky you may still be in consideration for multiple management internships. In the past, sometimes you have one interview for any of the MIs you are still in consideration for at the same time(eg. interviewing with a retail manager and lodging manager at the same time), but I think most people have separate interviews for each MI they are still in consideration for.

Now for the part you have been waiting for...the questions! The interviewers will want to gain an idea of your leadership style and your experience leading others. Expect a lot situational and behavioral questions. Also, if you are applying for a position like Theme Park Operations (TPO) or Lodging, they will probably ask you if you have a preference in areas. Eg. If you applied for TPO do you prefer Custodial, Attractions, or Main Entrance.

Working with a Team

Describe a time when you dealt with a difficult co-worker.

Tell me about a time you had team members disagree with you.

What is your experience working as apart of a diverse team?

What would you do if you had a conflict between cast members?

Describe a time when you motivated a team to complete a task.

Tell us about a time you dealt with a difficult co-worker.

What do you do to recognize your team?

Basic Questions

Why are you pursuing a management internship?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

What's your favorite Disney character?

Tell me your biggest weakness.

How do you deal with conflict?

Leadership Questions

What is your leadership style?

What leadership qualities have you gained from your past roles?

What are the qualities of a good leader?

What's the difference between a leader and a manager.

Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a manager about a policy.

Name a time you led a project in a leadership role.

How do you organize yourself before a big project?

Guest Situations

Tell us about a time when you had to deal with two difficult guest situations at one time.

Describe a time when you provided excellent customer service.

Give an example of great guest service.

What would you do if you had multiple angry guests at once and someone wanting to talk to you on the phone?

Other Past Experience Questions

If we asked people you have worked with to describe you what would you say?

When have you had to turn a negative situation into a positive one?

Tell me about a time that you had a difficult situation.

Tell me about a time you were apart of a project from beginning to end.

Tell me about a time that you led a team in good business practices.

How have you promoted safety in past roles.

Tell us about a time that you reached a business goal.

Remember, everyone I know says that there are only going to be around 5-6 questions, because you'd be surprised how fast 15-30 minutes goes by. I think if you can answer these questions and the ones I have complied for the phone screening post (Screening Interview Questions and Tips) then you will be prepared to be in the right mindset for any question you might encounter, whether it is one that I have included on my blog or not. Note: there are overlapping questions on this post and the screening interview post. This is because I am just compiling questions others have been asked at different stages and sometimes Disney interviewers will ask similar questions.

Now remember, you should be proud of yourself for making it this far for such a competitive internship! So take a deep breath and let your personality and experience shine! Now go prepare for your interview, get relaxed beforehand, and rock that interview!

Note: The following blog has one of the best posts on the topic of MI panel interviews, even though they were not ultimately offered the position: MI Panel Interview #1. Most of the other blogs that I used for this post are located in the page "Other PI Blogs" which I really recommend checking out if you haven't already!

Answers for Unanswered Questions from Fall 2015 Twitter Q&A

I have previously done two posts about the Fall 2015 Disney Professional Internships Twitter Question and Answer Session (insert links here). While the recruitment team was able to answer a lot of helpful questions during the Q&A, I noticed that not all of the questions submitted were answered. So I compiled a list of the unanswered questions and decided that I would give my input. 

These people deserve to get their questions answered, and it's like my teachers used to say, if one person has a question usually more people have the same ones and they just aren't asking them. So hopefully this post will help answer a question someone has out there and they either haven't asked or found their answer quite yet. Enjoy!

Preparing for a PI

How can I, as a college junior, prepare to do an internship with you during her senior year?

Get good experience. Do a local internship that would gain you skills in the area closest to your career/PI path. 

In addition to a straightforward, static portfolio, what is the best website/host to use for an online portfolio?

Honestly not sure. I think I have heard some people use weebly. I would ask in creative circles like friends, professors, etc what they prefer because I don't think Disney has a preference as long as it is put together well.

What is the number one thing an applicant can do to stand out?

I wish I knew! I would think two of the most important features are a good combination of personality and experience

I'm finishing my Masters with a project specific to theme parks.Can a position be worked around that from current PI?

Disney will not make a position align with a given project, but if you read through job descriptions you can probably find something related to what you are looking for since there is such a wide variety of offerings. 

When to Apply

If I apply within the 6 month post-graduation period, but the internship starts after that period, am I still eligible?

Depends on the internship. Some require you to have started within 6 months and other just require that you apply within 6 months. Look at each individual job posting requirements. However, if you interested in one that requires you to have started within 6 months you can actually get around this by doing another PI you qualify for or a CP and apply while in that position.

When will the majority of the spring internship application opportunities close?

Hi there! I was wondering how long the spring internship positions will be open to submit an application?

These two questions are basically the same. Spring positions are generally posted in mid/late August. Many PIs close in late September, but MIs close a few weeks earlier. Most postings have specific deadlines listed on the posting since it can vary so much between internships. If you don't see a deadline and it is a position you really want, I would say to apply sooner rather than later to be on the safe side.

Do internships coincide with college schedules?

Internships are most often January-June and June-December/January. There are other that are offered January-May, May-August, August-December, but the ones under this schedule tend to be more engineering related postings.

Do you do graduate positions?

Yes. There are positions specifically for graduate students and most positions allow undergrads or grad students to apply. Just keep an eye on position requirements.

Will there be any spring 2016 positions available in NY? I only see NY ones for Fall 2015.

Always look on the website for new postings. Postings for outside Parks and Resort division are often posted at different times. I currently see NY internships for Spring 2016 on the website but they were only recently posted. 

Do you have the same PI job positions for both the spring and fall? Like for the Show Writer internship for example?

Many internships are available for both Spring and Fall. However, interns might extend into the only available positions, a department might not want an intern the next semester, or might not even have it in their budget to have one. It largely stays the same, but every season is different.

Application Process

How long is the application processing time? I applied for Sept 15-Mar 16 internship, and still on "Submission" status

The dashboard isn't an end all, be all on your status. Different departments use dashboard, others don't and they all go on their own timelines. Just know that the PI application process is a lot longer than the CP process so don't hold your breath and be patient

My app hasn't moved in three months and it still has the same status . Is this normal ?

Yes. Not all departments use the dashboard. Unfortunately it isn't always updated with NLICs either. They try to be good about moving people along, but be grateful that you have some indication as most jobs will provide no communication ever if you don't get a job.

When will we find out if we land an interview for the spring internship?

Department specific interviews are generally given out up through mid-October, but can be much before or much later than that. Each department goes at their own pace so it is hard to generalize. Phone screenings depend on when you applied and if the positions you applied to require them.

When applying to multiple PIs should we make different cover letters?

Most PIs do not require cover letters. If it does not mention it, you do not need one. However, if you do write cover letters it is best to make it specific to an individual internship or only use it for very similar internships.

Are you allowed to do summer PI and CP in the fall if accepted to both?

Yes. You are allowed to be an intern with Disney continuously for up to a year and it can be any combination of DCP or PI. Most people do a CP before a PI, however.

How is the phone interview different for a PI than the DCP?

In terms of the phone screening interview for PIs, both are similar in that they are relatively general interviews. They both want to gauge personality, fit for Disney, and make sure you fully understand requirements of what you applied for. They will ask about your experience and some situation questions, which are both generally addressed in a CP interview, but the actual questions themselves are likely different.

Housing

I know there is no housing, but is there a list of people looking for roommates to help with rent?

There is actually housing for PIs. It is limited and given out on a first come, first serve basis. I stayed in it for both of my PIs and loved it. I thought it was a lot easier than finding my own housing, furniture, etc while moving across the country for an unknown amount of time. I even got it for my second internship when it was offered to me after other Spring internships had already started! 

However, MIs cannot live in PI housing. However, there are often Facebook pages for a given application cycle that you can search for roommates with or their is even a Facebook page called "Disney World Cast Member Apartment/Roommate Finder" that you can join and look for roommates.

Is there housing or some kind of stipend provided for internships?

Disney doesn't give out a stipend or housing, but all of the internships are paid. You are paid above minimum wage and will have enough to find housing (either by yourself or through PI sponsored housing) and enjoy your time in Florida! 

Post-Internship

Does Disney often hire interns? Or do most of them end their time with Disney once the internship finishes?

What happens after the PI? Will we have an opportunity to continue working with the company

What are the options following the conclusion of a PI to continue your career with Disney?

These are all basically the same question and I definitely will have to devote an entire post on this because this is much more than a 40 character answer (not that I was afraid to be lengthy with any of my other answers. lol. But this is really not a simple one-two sentence answer.) 

Other Questions

Are my odds lower as a 30-something, as opposed to a younger person?

Your odds are just as good as anyone else. Disney does not explicetly look at age when hiring interns (it is actually illegal to do so). I have seen/heard of interns being a wide variety of ages, so I say if you are interested to go for it! Perhaps your chances might be better because you have had more time to gain more experiences that you can bring into your PI! 

If Disney isn't visiting my campus, what are the best ways for me to connect with recruiters?

The best way is with the Disney Professional Internships email address at wdpr.professional.interns@disney.com. It can sometimes take a few days for them to get back to you, but they are generally more than willing to help answer any questions that you may have. Additionally, their is an official Disney Interns Blog, Facebook page, and Twitter account that can be great sources of information and contacts. Some recruiters will also connect with people on LinkedIn so that is an often if you are interested.

Do you favor UCs for Cal States when accepting people?

I really don't think Disney cares about schools that much. They care much more about what you have done while in school with classes, internships, etc that you can bring to a Disney role.

Do you help international applicants prepare for internships? Accommodation etc... is it even worth a UK resident applying?

Most Disney internships the applicant "must be eligible to work in the US." I believe this means that you do not require any sponsorship to be able to work for them. I don't know a lot about US work eligibility, but I imagine it would be difficult to be able to get all of those technicalities for a Professional Internship. However, Disney does offer International College Programs or Cultural Representative Programs for UK residents (and MANY other countries) that would allow you to work for Disney