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
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