At times it feels like the main focus here at the Disney blog is children – well, children and we adults who hold on to that little inner something that delights in fairy tale wonder.
Given the nature of Disney’s target audience, it often feels that I have nothing to offer parents of teenagers and college-age kids. So today’s blog is for you.
Do you have a child in college (or are you a college student) who loves Disney, or who considers a career in Disney a dream opportunity? Then you should think about applying for a Disney internship.
Anyone who loves Disney should consider internships through the House of Mouse, as they are available for an array of careers. Students looking for more information, or to apply for an internship, can do so at Disney’s Student Opportunities website.
It’s hard to pin down the specifics on the internships, because what’s offered varies from year to year. These are some of the internships that are available this year:
Disney ABC Television Group Summer Internships in New York and California
Disney Interactive Media Art Summer Internships in Hollywood
Disney Animal Programs Fall Internships in Orlando
Disney Customer Managed Relationships Fall Internships in Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Disney Costume Development and Manufacturing Fall Professional Internships in Fullterton, CA
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. To see the full listings, log on to the Disney Careers website and search internships.
While I’ve been referring to Disney’s career prep opportunities as “Disney Internships,” the company actually has a number of different programs. First is the Disney College Program.
Available at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, the Disney College Program is a paid internship that is accredited by The American Council on Education, so depending on the content of the specific internship, students may receive college credit for it.
Students who want to apply for the Disney College Program must attend an in-classroom presentation on the program. Presentations are given at local universities in 30 states and in Puerto Rico. Listings of the presentations can be found on the Disney College Program website.
Disney also offers Professional Internships, available at either of the two above parks or also through the Imagineers. Most, but not all, Disney Professional Internships require the student to have previously completed a Disney College Program. Again, it depends on the particular school and content of the internship as to whether students get class credit for it.
The main difference between Disney Professional Internships and the College Program is that the latter’s program is bound to the parks, with students working in the sorts of roles found there, from concessions to costumed performing. In contrast, Disney Professional Internships focus more on Disney’s business side, with offerings at Disney offices and media branches.
In addition, there are three other career prep programs offered by Disney. The Disney Career Start Program is essentially an internship for high school graduates. It has programs at Disneyland and Disney World, and allows participants to custom build their own curriculum.
The ImagiNations Design Contest is a contest allowing future designers to submit their work to Disney. Finalists win a 10-day expenses paid trip to present the design to a panel of Imagineers and compete for Best in Show awards. All finalists are considered for Disney Imagineering internships.
The final opportunity, Disney International Programs, is similar to the Career Start program only with opportunities available for applicants in several different countries.
The career-prep opportunities offered by Disney are so overwhelming that it’s hard to accurately describe them all here. I strongly encourage anyone who’s interested, or whose kids might be interested, to search the Disney Student Programs website for more information. These are highly-coveted internships that go fast, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to research and apply for your desired internship.
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