Monday, September 23, 2013

The Application Process

A lot of you might be wondering, how does one go about applying for the Disney College Program? Well, I'll tell you!

The application process starts by filling out an online application.  If you follow Disney College Program on Facebook, they'll post a link the day it comes out.  It can also be found right on their website here.  If applications for the program are open, when you click on "apply now" it will take you right to the application!  This application will ask you to fill out your basic information, work and education history, program preference (spring or spring advantage/fall or fall advantage), and role preferences.

When it comes to role preferences, take your time thinking about each role! It might be something you should do before hand, so you have an idea of which roles you're interested in.  You'll be asked to rate each one with 'high interest,' 'moderate interest,' 'low interest,' or 'no interest.'  BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.  If there's a role you really don't want or cannot see yourself doing, mark it as no interest! I marked a good 5 or 6 roles as no interest simply because I knew I wouldn't enjoy doing them.  Other than that, I marked 4 roles with 'high interest,' about 5 with 'low interest' and the rest with moderate.  I made sure that my high interest roles were the ones I would want the most!! For these, I choose Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique/Pirate's League Hostess, Character Attendant, PhotoPass Photographer and Attractions!

After you complete the online application, you'll get an email that looks similar to this:


















Once you receive this email, it's time to wait for your WBI! This year, Disney decided not everyone would receive their WBIs immediately after completing the application, and some people might not even get one at all.  I was lucky enough to receive one not too long after I applied.  That email looked like this:






















My advice is to NOT OPEN THE LINK RIGHT AWAY.  I cannot stress this enough.  I waited a good 10 minutes to open mine because I was too excited and nervous to be able to focus.  The key to the WBI is focus and relaxation, so if you're jittery, wait a little while and find a nice, quiet and relaxing place to take it.  You'll want to devote a good 45 minutes to taking the WBI, because it is a little long.  People are often afraid of it because the questions are timed, but honestly, most of the questions are common sense!  They ask you questions about your work habits and your personality, and how other people perceive you; it's very similar to other job applications.  People say to not answer neutral and always answer strongly, but I had a few neutrals, which was clearly ok!  Because the questions are timed, one thing I advise is to read each question aloud.  It really helped me grasp what it was asking.

At the end of the WBI, it immediately tells you right on the same screen whether or not you passed.  If you didn't pass, it's the end of your Disney journey for now, but if you did pass, CONGRATS!  You will shortly get an email that looks similar to the one below, inviting you to schedule your phone interview!






















When you click on the link, it will take you to a page with lots of dates and times, and you can choose the one that works best for you!  Don't feel that you need to rush into taking your phone interview; if a time the week after is best for you, then take it!  You'll have more time to prep the longer you wait!  Make sure you block out at least an hour for your interview, I opted to block out two hours, just so I could relax before it.  When you have selected your time, you'll get a confirmation email that looks like this:






















The next step is your phone interview! I promise you, it's not too difficult, especially if you research some potential questions ahead of time.  The lists that I compiled can be found here.   The interviewers are all really sweet, and make you feel really comfortable, so don't worry! They'll ask questions about your top roles, your application, and other important things.  More detailed information about my interview can be found here.  When you finish your phone interview, you'll get an email (sometime later) that looks like this:




















Now comes the waiting game! Generally, within 2 to 3 weeks, you'll receive notice of whether or not you are accepted, pending (Disney needs more time to decide) or NLIC (no longer in consideration).  I received my acceptance email in just under two weeks!

My general timeline for the whole application process looked like this:

  • Sep. 5th, 10:30 a.m. - Began the online application.
  • Sep. 5th, 11:00 a.m. - Finished the application.
  • Sep. 5th, 11:54 a.m. - Received my "thank you for applying" email.
  • Sep. 5th, 1:28 p.m. - Received my email asking me to complete the WBI.
  • Sep. 5th, 2:25 p.m. - Completed and passed the WBI.
  • Sep. 5th, 2:37 p.m. - Received an email inviting me to schedule my phone interview.
  • Sep. 5th, 2:49 p.m. - Received an email confirming my phone interview time.
  • Sep. 8th, 3:21 p.m. - Started my phone interview! (It was scheduled to start at 3:15, but sometimes they call early or late)
  • Sep. 8th, 3:43 p.m. - Ended my phone interview after 22 minutes.
  • Sep. 8th, 10:02 p.m. - Received my "thank you for interviewing" email.
  • Sep. 20th, 10:41 a.m. - Received my "congratulations!" email.
Just a reminder, that NOT EVERYONES TIMELINE WILL LOOK THE SAME.  This is just a sample so you have an idea of the process!

Now you all know my journey to get accepted, and hopefully it will help those of you who are looking to apply! See ya real soon, folks!

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