Disney College Program

Students

The Disney College Program is a unique experience where participants gain on-the-job experience with a world-renowned company and provides uniquely Disney work experiences all while you create magical memories. Mizzou students who go on the internship are major Disney fans and often have long-term career goals of working at Disney or part of their network of companies.

If you are seriously considering the Disney College Program, you should:

Learning 

You will learn gain valuable skills in your role; however, internships are typical park positions (food service, amusements, merchandising, etc.) and for that reason most Mizzou students do not earn any academic credit for the experience. While full academic credit is not an option, Mizzou students may attend professional development seminars ranging on topics like leadership, guest services, marketing, Disney heritage and more.    

Hospitality Management / Parks, Recreation, Sport & Tourism majors: 
  • Students in either major may be able to earn some academic credit for the experience depending on where you are in your degree program. Please check with your academic or faculty advisor, if you haven’t already, to see how much credit you can earn.

All other majors:
  • Since most students cannot earn academic credit they need to enroll in a special MU course, Disney Internship SSC 1500. This class is 0 credit hours. It serves as a placeholder while students are away on internship so they are considered full-time Mizzou students. To enroll in the class students need a permission number after meeting with the instructor, Katie Clark.  Permission numbers are granted once students and their advisors sign the enrollment form.    

Working

The Disney College Program is a paid-internship where participants work the equivalent of a full-time schedule, so they must have full work availability, which includes working days, nights, weekends and holidays. Click here for a full list of role descriptions. Each role offered through the Disney College Program provides a unique and diverse learning and working experience. However, all participants will have the opportunity to develop their communication skills, problem-solving skills and work on their confidence and self-reliance. Most internships are 4-6 months in duration and are available for Spring and Fall with the option of working over the summer. There are no summer-only internships.

Housing 

As part of the Disney College Program, participants live in housing complexes located near the Walt Disney World® Resort. Amenities included in the housing costs included: a fully furnished apartment; all utilities; pools; recreation and fitness areas; smart TV; in-unit washer and dryer; and high-speed internet. Interns may bring vehicles but must register them and charged a decal fee. Transportation is provided to and from your work location.

How to Apply

Requirements

In order to submit an application for the Disney College Program, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

  • Be currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student OR have graduated from Mizzou within 24 months pf application posting date
  • Be in good academic standing
  • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application
  • Possess unrestricted U.S. work authorization 

Once you have carefully researched the position and meet the eligibility requirements, you may fill out the online application form. On your application, please carefully consider all your answers as they will directly affect the internship you are offered. For example, if you indicate you are willing to take a role in custodial services you cannot change your response after it’s submitted and/or offered. 

After you submit your application you should receive an email confirmation and will be prompted to complete an online assessment. If you successfully pass the assessment you will be contacted again to arrange a phone interview with a Disney recruiter. Applicants are informed at each stage of the process about their candidate status.    

Timeline

Applications open the season before the next arrival cycle (late January for Fall; late August for Spring) and positions are filled on a rolling basis. Please note that Disney does not offer a Summer only option. You can add summer extensions to the end of your Spring or beginning of your Fall internship.

Reapplying

If you decide this is not the right time for an internship you can always decline the offer and apply again without concern. Disney purges all their previous recruitment data and many MU students have successfully reapplied at a later time. Please also recognize that recent college graduates can apply to the program and that is often an ideal time for many Mizzou students considering the program.

Accepting an Offer

Before you accept an offer you need to learn how the internship may affect your graduation plan, financial aid and local housing. Katie Clark can help you understand the impact of participating in the internship and, if you decide to accept an offer, make sure all University business has been taken care of before your departure from campus.  Disney typically gives applicants only 7 days to respond to an offer, so it’s critical you meet with Katie and weigh all considerations in advance of submitting your application.

Disney Contacts & Information

Students may consult the Disney College Program blog, follow their social media, or contact the recruiting staff at wdw.college.recruiting@disney.com.

Additionally, Disney hosts Get to Know the Disney College Program webinars once applications open. Sign up for a session to lean more and ask questions.   

Faculty & Staff 

If student expresses interest in the Disney College Program, please direct them to the Disney College Program website and to arrange a meeting with the Disney campus liaison, Katie Clark.

Academics

All students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss how the internship may impact their graduation plan. Since most students cannot receive credit from their academic department, students take the semester off or may opt to take an online course. (We do not recommend that a student take more than 1 3-credit hour class as they are working 40-50 hours/week).

Students wanting to stay “on track” with their original graduation date may need to take online courses or take more classes the semester they return. We do not endorse any particular course of action; however we want students to make an informed decision about the internship and have a plan of action once they return to campus.

Financial Aid

If a student has any sort of aid (grants, loans, or scholarships) it’s critical they speak with financial aid to see how their aid could be impacted and if any paperwork is needed to submit prior to their departure.

Housing

If a student accepts the internship and currently lives on campus, they are able to cancel their housing and dining contracts without penalty. For students living off-campus will likely have to find a subleaser. We recommend that students advertise on the Off-Campus Housing Marketplace, among other places.

Questions

Please reach out to Katie Clark with any questions you might have!