another blog post about how to get through the disney college program applications and interview;
So, here is my personal experience with the Disney College Program application and interview process. It's true when people say that everyone has a different experience so I hope to help those with a similar experience as mine. I bolded the different parts of the application and interview so you can feel free to skip ahead of parts you don't want to read!
Initially I didn't want to join the program that much. It seemed like a hassle to leave california for 5 months. I thought of it as leaving my job, school, boyfriend, and family for something that i wasn't that interested in. I applied anyway because my twin sister (whose disney blog you can look at here) said it would be cool if we both got in. She said there was something around 50,000 applicants and only 5,000 or so got accepted, so i applied just for the sake of applying.
Starting the application (and da WBI): On the day I applied, August 30 2014, right after doing the initial application it immediately sent me to do a WBI (Web Based Interview). This takes about 30-40 minutes or so, and i suggest doing it when you really have time to read the questions. This part is harder than you think. I know quite a few people who were NLIC right after this, so take the time to answer these multiple choice questions. And even though you want to be honest, kissing ass in this part does not hurt (AKA you're the best worker your manager has ever had, nawmean?)
Scheduling a phone interview: This part of the application process came to me right after i had finished the WBI. Many people have to wait to receive an email to schedule a phone interview, but after submitting my WBI I was sent to a page that informed me to schedule a phone interview within THREE days. (Goes to show you how important the WBI can be!) So i scheduled my interview for September 5 2014. For those who are not sent to the page right after the WBI and get an email a couple days later, you just have to log into your dashboard and it will tell you where you can click to set up the interview.
the phone interview (preparing for and doing): So I had a couple days to prepare for my PI, and to be honest i was not nervous at all. it was most likely because i did not care whether i got in or not. but my sister and our friend Jhen spent days preparing for the phone interview. You can google the questions, but here are a couple questions that i was asked personally:
"how will the college program help you professionally?"
"do you mind working outside in the heat?"
(if you have a job) "what role do you play at your current job?"
so here are a couple questions, you can see a longer list HERE.
Don't be nervous- they will most likely hear your nervous energy
Go somewhere quiet- it is just easier to hear the interviewer's questions and easier to gather your thoughts.
Don't be afraid to use your notes- many people do this; print out the list of questions with gaps in between to write and write down notes of your answers so that way you have all your thoughts in one place prepared. i DONT suggest writing full sentenced answers because people tend to read this verbatim and it can sound stiff or too rehearsed and take away from your personality.
Smile while you talk- my sister was the one who told me this. I was video chatting her doing the phone interview (mine was muted of course, would've been too awk if she could hear my cheesy answers) and she told me to smile because i wasn't. and this was good advice. you can hear a smile in someone's voice, as cliche as it sounds. so just smile!
Annunciate and be articulate- just for the purpose of sounding more professional and mature.
Be yourself- this is probably an obvious one, but its something that people forget to do during interviews because of nerves. just be yourself. they're not judging you on your hair or makeup or looks. they just want to find people who will genuinely be a good fit at disney, and if you sound like a happy person, why wouldn't you get a chance to work at the happiest place on earth?
they may call you 15 minutes before or after your scheduled time, so have AT LEAST 1 HOUR during your block of time saved up for the interview. they say the phone interview lasts about 20-30 minutes, my interview was nearly 45. Many people have it less than that as well, and that is nothing to be concerned about because many of the people who had a 15 minute interview still got accepted. I accidentally hung up on my interviewer- when this happens, they just call you back and then you resume where you left off. it is not as big of a deal as some people may think. so if you do this, don't panic!
Being pended: I was pended two times after my PI. The first time on September 24 and the second on October 15. Once you are pended, they send you another pended email every 3 weeks. Contrary to belief, being pended is not always a bad thing. It can mean many different things, like that they finished reviewing your application but don't know the best spot for you YET. sometimes it can mean that they are waiting to see who has and hasn't accepted. It is not always good or always bad. But it is better than NLIC which means you are no longer in consideration and you have to wait 6 months to reapply for the next program. Someone on the DCP Facebook page called in HR and asked what pended meant, and they responded that being pended was mostly a GOOD thing.
Getting your acceptance email and what to do after: For the spring 2015 program, they said the last day to find out whether or not you have been accepted was November 17. sadly many people waited and waited and waited aaaaaalllll the way to the very last day just to find out they are NLIC. and it is a possibility, but the longer you wait the better chances you have of being accepted into the program, so just cross your fingers!
I got my acceptance on October 25 2014. it was a long wait, but so worth it. at the end of this wait i realized that i actually was interested in doing the DCP, and realized that living on my own in florida for a couple months and working at WDW was a once in a lifetime kinda thing. So i accepted my offer. after accepting you have to pay a fee (which is something like $325). this fee covers your first weeks of dorming and planned activities. It is pretty steep, so if you are interested in going at the very beginning of the application process, you should start saving the money just to help lessen the blow once you get your offer (or at least have a way of paying whenever the offer comes, i.e. a parent). and if you don't get accepted then hey at least you have 300 extra bucks.
Best of luck to everyone who applies to the DCP for any term. I hope i can keep blogging and that my experience can help you enjoy yours!
