There’s a side of Facebook that most people never see. It’s where student Disney enthusiasts gather to dream, gossip, make friends… and frenemies. Groups form around a shared language of acronyms: DCP, WBI, PI, the dreaded NLIC and so many more.
These groups grow to have 6,000+ members. What are these groups? How did they come to be? Three words: Disney College Program.
Thousands of college students age 18 to 70-years-old apply for this competitive internship working at one of Disney’s two domestic parks. How do I know so much about these groups?
I’m on the inside! (Cue dramatic music).
Want to know what it’s like to apply for the Disney College Program (DCP) and be a part of one of these groups? Come with me on a journey into an alternate reality in which you are applying for the DCP. Applying for this experience can be like entering into an alternate universe, so hang on tight.
5+ months before applying
It’s about one year before your possible program would take place and you’re feverishly watching video bloggers on YouTube. Their ‘vlogs‘ are showing you what it’s really like to be on the program and are definitely not sugar-coated in any way. You imagine yourself in their shoes and convince yourself that the DCP is the best thing for a Disney fan like you.
You begin searching for the perfect job. There are dozens of ‘roles’ (jobs) offered through the DCP. Should you put a high interest in Merchandise or Attractions? Low interest in QSFB? The only way to find the answer is through EXTENSIVE research on all roles through blogs, vlogs and your cousin’s friend who did the program three years ago.
Obsession Counter:
% of time spent listening to Disney Music: 70 percent
# of ‘vlogs’ watched per day: 3 videos
3 months before applying
You can’t wait. You randomly search “Disney College Program” on Facebook and your dreams come true. There’s a group called DCP Fall/Fall Advantage 20** and you feel like your prayers have been answered. You join to find hundreds of people that are JUST LIKE YOU. It’s the answer to all those high school years of feeling like ‘nobody understood’ you or your ‘unhealthy obsession with Berlioz from the Aristocats.’ These people get you. You even finish each other’s… sandwiches.
Obsession Counter:
% of time not on Facebook: 0 percent
# of new friends: 542, but maybe more like the three that you messaged…
1 month before applying
The past two months have flown by. You posted a very in-depth roommate survey to the Facebook group which now has over 3,000 members. It took forever to complete and answered essential questions for any possible roommate like favorite Disney park, top three favorite characters and favorite drink. You read through dozens of other roommate surveys to find the perfect matches for you. Now you’re in three group chats that are capital A-active with DCP news and gossip.
Obsession Counter:
# of new followers on Instagram: 54
# of notifications in Facebook Messenger: 1,379
APPLICATION DROP
You turn on all notifications for the Facebook group as you anxiously await the appearance of the Disney College Program application on the company career page. You refresh it every second, but what if you miss something? The Facebook group is an army of 4,000+ people now that are all checking and will alert you when it’s time to apply for your dream. You’re in class refreshing Facebook and the DCP application page hoping to…
wait… it’s happening.
You get a message in your group chat.
You open up the application and fill it out, going over your options one more time.
With shaking hands you click submit, queue up “When You Wish Upon A Star” and begin waiting for your dream to come true.
Obsession Counter:
% of friends and classmates annoyed: 95 percent
# of clicks to refresh pages: ~12,213,478,900
1 week after applying
You’re lucky. You got a WBI (that’s a Web-Based Interview for those of you unfamiliar with the term). You block off 40 minutes to take a 20 minute timed personality test. Even though you knew exactly what was going to happen from the 31 vlogs and 17 blogs you watched/read, you were nervous that you wouldn’t pass. You did. You continue prepping for the phone interview (yes, continue because you consider your whole life in the Disney fandom as preparation for this interview).
Obsession Counter:
% of all DCP content on the Internet studied: 83 percent
# of reminders set about upcoming phone interview: ~3,000
The Phone Interview
It’s one-hour before your interview and you told all your suitemates that they need to be quiet for a full hour even though your interview will probably only last 20 minutes. You have to be prepared for everything. Vloggers have told you to post reminders to smile and notes for your phone interview around the space you’ll be doing your interview in. Now your tiny dorm room resembles a pixie dusted version of A Beautiful Mind and your roommate, who was once annoyed and passive aggressive, has finally accepted their fate and is in the library.
Obsession Counter:
% of room covered in sticky notes: 100 percent
# of passive aggressive looks from roommate: 15
# of minutes spent practicing answers in the mirror: ~3,891,897
2 weeks after the phone interview
You’re panicking, but that’s nothing new. You’ve been checking your email every five minutes since you ended your call with Debbie, your incredibly kind interviewer. You replay every word of each answer to your mom, your best friend, your roommate, your Mickey plush and anything else that might have an ability to listen. You tell yourself not to check your email in class or at work because you know you’ll wet your pants if you find out there and you don’t want a repeat of that one time in third grade that took 8 years for people to forget. You check it in class anyway. Nothing. You give up. “I guess I’ll just be NLIC (no longer in consideration)” you message your group chat with tears in your eyes. Two of them have already been accepted as Attractions.
You anxiously await every acceptance wave that comes out. Oh, look, another one. Is it even worth checking? Why not.
wait. does that say? no… it can’t.
The word is written in an email, but it feels like its being heralded out to the heavens: Congratulations. You scream and ALMOST wet your pants, but you don’t.
Obsession Counter:
% of friends and strangers excited for you: 100 percent
# of minutes times you checked your email: The limit does not exist
# of pants wet: 0 (success!!)
The next steps are for another time. Let me know if you want to read more of the journey! Was there anything I missed about this process? Anything you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments below.
See ya real soon,
Annie
Annie Proctor 