Sorry if this has already been asked...but I have a few questions.

My girlfriend and I are thinking of doing the summer work experience program for international university students but have some questions. Maybe some of you can answer them.

1. Is it worth it? We realize that the experience will probably be beyond words, but seeing how much the rent is, plus the cost of food, and minimum wage makes us question it. I heard ride attendants start at $8/hr, meaning that it could up to 10hrs of work a week to pay for that week's rent.

2. Can you pick what position you want? I realize that you probably can't say "I want to work on Tower of Terror" but can you specify that you would like rides instead of say quick service, or even what park we prefer?

3. Can you pick where you want to live? We know that the apartments aren't co-ed, but can we both say we want to live in, say, Vista Way so we wouldn't have to travel to the other complexes to see each other on days off or night?

4. What kind of hours can we expect? This kind of goes with number 1; if there isn't enough hours, there's barely any money to pay for food and rent, let alone save enough to take home.

Thanks in advance...if I can think of any more I'll ask.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

You get 6.67 and food and beverage get a little more.

Yes, you can pick where you live, and you can pick attractions, so you will most likely get a ride position. But ya, you cant say spacifically what ride.

If you want a lot of hours, you can get them. Usually you get 40 hours a week or so, and you can always pick up extra shifts, or get overtime.

ONE.
It is definitely worth it! Yeah, its pretty much hard to describe. Your experience will differ depending on the role you get, but in the end, the experience is what YOU make of it. This sounds cheesy, but its true. If you feel its a waste of time, or your job is too easy, then it will be, and you won't get anything out of it.

In exchange for working for less than minimum wage, paying rent, missing some time at college, and possibly working a job you didn't exactly wish for... you will, simply put, learn more from this experience about life, the real world, working for a major company, and yourself than any college course could ever teach you.

TWO.
When you interview, and submit your application, you indicate what roles you most want to do, and then, if you're accepted, which, honestly its rare that you aren't, they will tell you what role you've been offered, but not the location.

This was my biggest fear and complaint with the program, as the first time I went down I was really worried, and ended up on Tomorrowland Speedway (the go-carts on rails - basically the among the worst attractions to get). However, if you stick it out, and extend your program, you get to specify if you'd like to move somewhere specific, and this worked out in my favor... ended up on Tower of Terror, where I am still a seasonal cast member at to this day.

So, my advice is would be DON'T sign up for the "advantage" program (generally 8 months). If you end up in a role you don't like, you are stuck with it the whole time. Chose the regular length program - that way if you get a role you don't like, you can either opt to 1. transfer to a role you want, or 2. go home sooner if you hate it, but still get to complete the program.

Oh, and two VERY important things:
I. If you do not want to work quick service food and beverage, make sure you say NO in the interview and on the applications. If you say YES, even if your main choice is attractions, you WILL be placed in quick service food and beverage, because this is the hardest role for them to fill.

II. If you chose to do the program, arrive expecting the worst role possible. If you go in expecting one of the awesome attractions like I did, you will most likely be let down. But it is worth it to stick it out, no matter what you get, believe me.

THREE.
You get to chose which complex you want to live in, but remember, the apartment size you want may not be available in that complex at the time of your arrival. On your arrival day, make sure to arrive early, to have the greatest chance of getting the apartment you want.

I've lived in both Chatham and Vista Way. I personally recommend Chatham - 2 bedroom apartment. Meaning, you'll have three other roomates, which is just the right amount. 5 other roomates is too many, IMO, and having only 1 other than yourself could be awkward. 4 roomates helps to break any awkwardness there may be, and its not too many to deal with.

FOUR.
The hours you get are varied depending on your work location. You are guarenteed 30 hours a week. If you work Studios attractions, for example, this is all you will get in the off seasons. Other roles have longer hours, naturally. If you work in the Magic Kingdom, for example, you will automatically have more hours than the other parks, since Magic Kingdom generally has the longest hours.

In Studios attractions, I got between 30-40 hours during slow seasons, between 40-50 for mid-sized crowd times (all of summer, for example), and, believe it or not, 50-60 for absolute peak season times - Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc)



Hope this helps! Ask more questions if you want.

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Thanks for the answers, Raptor, they help.
My girlfriend and I are discussing it some more.

By the way, if you work at Tower, tell Jimmy that Ryan said hi.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

If you have an interest in a certain area, express it during the interview. I didn't have a specific ride I wanted to work, but I was really hoping for a coaster. I expressed that I was a coaster enthusiast, that I worked at a park before, that I was in operations in a non-ride related position, and that I wanted a different experience. Move-in day comes and I see I was placed in Space Mountain! Pure bliss! Who knows where they would have put me if I didn't approach the interview that way.

When it comes to money, you won't make much. At $6.67, you'll be able to cover your rent, buy food and other necessities, and have some money left over as discretionary income. It won't be much, but you'll be able to go to PI every once in a while, or Buffalo Wild Wings every week. If you budget well, you can save money during the program, but most people don't. I walked away with some credit card debt in the end that (compared to many of my friends) is rather small.

The experience itself is AMAZING! This alone makes everything worth it. The classes are also worth it, so consider them while you're there. If you take the Organizational Leadership class, I promise you won't regret it.

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The Summer experience program doesn't seem to offer classes. It's mostly for international university/college students that want to work at Disney for the summer.
On a work visa I can work a maximum of 90 days there.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

Just to let you know, you will meet some of the greatest friends you can ever meet there. I just found out today one of my friends killed herself who was in the college program with me. She was from China, and one of the nicest people you will meet. You will have tons of memories, and meet a great group of people from all over the U.S, and the world. RIP Chennie.

Are you sure that you'll be able to specify attractions on your application. With that program I wouldn't be surprised if you were limited to the less desirable roles that didn't need as much training, such as QSFB.

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TV/Event Guide Editor

They have a shot at attractions. The 3 month internationals are nothing more than Disney's ingenious way of providing a buffer between the old 5 month CPs leaving and the new 5 month CPs arriving. Right before Thanksgiving, Space Mountain got a bunch of new Brazilians to help out. They got trained, we gave them the OTJ training, then bounced and left the mountain in their hands. Now you have enough trained people to get you through the next mass training, and by the time your fall CPs are good to go, the summer ICPs are packing up to leave.

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Alot of the CP's we got at Kilimanjaro Safaris said they all picked to go there and we always got alot. Safari would always get like 50 cp's every time.

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2009 Carolina Cobra Crew
Go Panthers! 4-6: Week 12 @ New York Jets

#6 North Carolina Tarheels 4-1

Yeah, there is a less of a chance you'll get attractions, but theres still a chance, because they always need CPs to fill the spots that other CP's left.

Well... assuming you ever even actually worked Kilimanjaro Safaris aside... Safaris requires a ridiculous amount of cast members - way more than any other attraction. Its one of the easiest rides to get on.

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Thanks for all the answers, but my girlfriend and I have decided not to do it this summer.
We discussed it, and even though we know the experience would be awesome, we do need to save money for school, and from some replies that I got, it seems like we wouldn't save much, if any at all...we can't completely rely on government students loans and parents.

We figure our best bet would be to possibly do the 1yr International Program after we finish school.

However, I'm still going to apply for internships and enter the Imaginations competition, so maybe I'll end up working for Disney for a few months anyways
*crosses fingers*

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student