Disney is full of magic, whether that is through their iconic films, characters or timeless stories. There is one place where you can not only find all of these components but also bring them to life: the Disney College Program (DCP) at Walt Disney World.

The DCP is essentially a semesterlong internship where college students have the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to a real-world professional setting.

“It’s a great way to get your foot in the door,” said Corey Davis, advisor of UW-Whitewater’s DCP. “For students who are looking to make connections, it can be a good way to build their resume and get some good job experience while having fun working at Disney World.”

There are several different roles across the theme parks, water parks, resorts and Disney Springs. While the list of jobs is extensive, students may work within merchandising, day-to-day operations or entertainment. In the past, theatre students have had the opportunity to audition to be costumed characters, such as Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse. Regardless of what role students are assigned, they will have an opportunity to develop transferable skills that they can use in their respective careers.

“I worked within merchandising, so I spent most of the time being the face of all the gift shops, which was super fun,” said Kennedy Krutz, student ambassador for the DCP. “I helped with production, taking orders and selling. It was super cool to provide that magic for the guests the way that they did for me when I was a child.”

Although the bulk of students’ time in the DCP is spent working, there are opportunities to have some fun. Students do get free park admissions, so when they are not on duty, they can walk around Disney World and explore the different attractions that are there.

“The program people mostly work at night, so during the day I would mostly go to the parks,” Krutz said. “It was really fun to wake up and be like, ‘Oh I get to go to a park today.’”

While the DCP is offered at colleges nationwide, UW-W does something slightly different compared to other universities. The university offers a special optional online class that students can take while they are doing the program, which allows them to earn a general elective credit.

Much like the concept behind the Disney College Program, this class allows students to start preparing for a professional setting. They are expected to either write a resume or expand on their current resume, write various reflections about the skills that they are either learning or developing, as well as meet a few times with Davis for progress updates.

“The assignments [students] do are intended to help them create connections between what they’re learning and what their career goals are,” Davis said. “[Students] can take it for variable credit, depending on what their work hours are.”

One of the common challenges that students face is being able to balance both work and school. A frequently asked question is whether or not they should take a class. For Krutz, the answer is a resounding yes.

“If you’re planning on graduating within the standard four years of a bachelor’s degree, definitely still take a class down there,” Krutz said.

Krutz’s journey with the DCP has been unique. She was made aware of this opportunity during high school, and as a freshman in college she went to an info session to gain more knowledge about what the program entails. She fell in love with the idea and completed the program in the spring semester of her sophomore year.

“It’s definitely a unique experience. It’s not something that everyone does,” Krutz said. “Growing up and loving Disney, it was really cool to see the behind the scenes and what makes the magic happen.”

When Krutz was down in Disney World, she heard from one of her roommates about the campus ambassador role and quickly reached out to Davis to see if there was an opening, which there was. As the UW-W DCP ambassador, Krutz is in charge of making sure that students are aware that this particular opportunity exists.

“I help run two info sessions every semester, which allows people to come in and learn more about the [Disney College Program] as well as what my experience was,” Krutz said. “I also help run our table at the University Center when we have the student org fairs.”

Going forward both Krutz and Davis would like to continue to increase student awareness of the DCP, whether that is keeping the program visible through social media or highlighting the different opportunities that are available.

“If you like the Disney brand, then this is a great opportunity,” Davis said. “No matter what role you get, you’re going to have a fantastic program.”

If students are interested in applying to the Disney College Program, or are looking for further information, they are encouraged to contact Corey Davis at [email protected] or 262-472-5026.