Working for Disney

Both Elizabeth Bundrick and I (Ashley Henton) have had the absolute pleasure of working apparel-related jobs for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. We understand that working for Disney is a dream for many students; in this article we will be offering our insight as to how we were chosen by Disney and what it was like to work there!

What Were Our Roles?

Elizabeth: In spring of 2020, I had the pleasure of participating in Disney's Professional Internship Program as a Merchandising Intern for the Jewelry Team. I assisted with Tech, Headwear, and On-Demand Clothing; I was stationed in the Merchandising Offices.

Ashley: I participated in the Disney College Program in Fall of 2018 as an Entertainment Costuming Hostess. As a cast member, I was based in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the March of the First Order show, the Launch Bay meet and greet, and eventually The Festival of the Holidays as a holiday storyteller in Epcot. I helped dress characters before they went out to do a performance, parade, meet and greet, etc.

What Was The Interview Process Like?

Elizabeth: I began my interview process in August of 2019, and received my offer in November. I honestly had forgotten all about my Disney application and assumed it had gotten lost in the sea of applications. However, I ended up receiving an email offering me an interview with an HR representative. My first interview was under five minutes, and they mainly asked me questions directed toward learning about me and why I wanted to work for Disney. Following that, I received an email announcing that I had been selected to participate in the final round of interviews. I had this final interview with a merchandiser from the office. This meeting by far was my favorite part of the process because I was able to ask in-depth questions about the office I would be working in while expounding upon my retail experience. Within 48 hours, I received a call from HR with an internship offer!

Ashley: My interview process was fairly short compared to Elizabeth and other Disney interns’ experiences. I submitted my application on January 23rd of 2018 and was immediately contacted for a web-based interview, which I completed the very next day. From there I was offered a phone interview, which occurred February 2; I then received the internship offer on February 12th. Hearing back immediately isn’t always common, and some people wait weeks before moving on to the next step; if your interview experience is different from mine, don’t get discouraged!

Describe A Day On The Job

Elizabeth: It’s hard to say what a typical day looked like interning at Disney. As a merchandising intern, I was responsible for running the majority of the Monday reports for my team, I participated in a large number of vendor meetings (what I consider the coolest part of my internship), and my team would walk through the store locations weekly; this gave me a lot of time to learn about the business.

Ashley: My typical day changed depending on what location I was at; no matter which location, each day started and ended with lots and lots of laundry! As an entertainment costumer, my job was to dress each performer for the show they’re about to perform. Because it’s the costumer’s responsibility to make sure everything is “show ready”, when I wasn’t dressing anybody, I was touching up the costume pieces to make sure they were clean for the next show. Once the shows were over for the day, I’d spend the rest of my night in the laundry facility getting everything ready for the next day.

What Was Your Favorite Part of the Job?

Elizabeth: I enjoyed the program more than I ever thought I would! I believe this program set me up for future success by giving me a great base of knowledge about the retail industry due to the fact that Disney owns so many different types of merchandise stores. I loved interacting with vendors every week and learning about upcoming products; I loved the other interns which genuinely helped me fall in love with my internship as a whole; but I mostly loved the fact that I had the opportunity to see the magic in the making every day!

Ashley: Since I worked in the parks, I had the chance to directly watch guests feel the magic that I created every day, which is really an incomparable feeling. As a costuming hostess, I helped bring these beloved characters to life, and I felt like an integral part of the entertainment team. Even though I worked backstage, I never really felt like I was missing out on anything. Some of the best magic happens backstage. I met so many incredible people in all of my locations and I made great memories with them- I even happened to meet one of my best friends at Epcot!

What Was The Most Challenging Part?

Elizabeth: I loved my internship so much that it is hard to identify something I did not like. I think my biggest challenge was learning to analyze reports to best benefit my team. With every job there is a learning curve, but because Disney is such a big company the learning curve can be even bigger than most.

Ashley: Keeping up with the pace of the parks was very challenging. Parades can’t wait because you’re slow to get the costume pieces together, so you have to really watch the clock and be ready to go at the drop of a hat. There were times where I had to sprint to the complete opposite end of the park, find one particular costume piece in the warehouse, then sprint back minutes before a show began.

What Advice Would You Give Someone Interested in this Program?

Elizabeth: Going into my internship, I doubted my knowledge; just know that Auburn prepares you for this experience more than you know. The projects you do in class relate precisely to what you do at Disney, and that made a world of difference in how prepared I was. It is also beneficial to have a portion of your resume that allows you to stand out during the interview process. These recruiters are receiving thousands of applications- you do not necessarily need other internship experience to stand out.

Ashley: Doing this program involves taking a semester off of school, which sounds intense if you’re already worried about being in school for longer than four years. I promise though, it’s really worth it. In this field, there’s nothing more valuable than experience, and having experience from Disney can set you apart from other applicants. School can honestly feel overwhelming at times, and moving down to Florida for a semester can truly clear your head and make you feel more prepared to finish your degree.

Updates to the College Program

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the Disney College Program has been indefinitely suspended. But, magic can still be made in a part-time or full-time role; if you’d like any more information regarding working for Disney, don’t hesitate to reach out to either of us!