"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney
Somehow I knew that I had to apply right away. The other two times that I had applied, I had waited a few days for the rush to die down. But this time I felt that I should apply right away. As soon as I read the email that applications were available, I locked myself in my room and, using my brother’s computer, applied for the Disney College Program. I had been in such a rush and had been so overexcited the last two times that I had applied that I probably made a few mistakes. I had been so desperate that I was terrified of selecting “low interest” for any of the jobs that were available. This time, I took my time, being as honest as I could as I selected my interest level for each available job. Being as desperate as I was, I did have some sort of interest in every single job—I don’t think I used the “no interest” option at all. I was positive that I would enjoy any and every experience that the Disney College Program has to offer.
At last, I
clicked the “submit” button. This is the moment when my heart starts racing.
This is the moment that I start crying because I had never gotten farther than
this before. This is the moment where I check my email every five minutes to
ensure that I don’t miss anything. Would Disney finally notice me? The most
frustrating thing is that Disney learns hardly anything about you from the
application—your school, where you’re from, what your major is, previous job
experience, and your interest level in the jobs that the DCP has to offer. Not everyone
gets invited to take the Web-Based Interview.
The people
that I had seen get accepted into the program time and time again—they didn’t
know how lucky they were. There are people that would kill for the opportunity
that they so easily took for granted. I once came across a Tumblr blog all
about “How to get away with breaking the rules during your Disney College
Program.” Isn’t that awful? When you get accepted to the DCP, Disney is showing
that they trust you. Disney provides you with so many perks, and to disobey
them like that is simply horrible. Why would you choose to just throw this
incredible opportunity away? Disney would have been better off hiring someone
else in the first place.
Even the
ones that did deserve to be hired—I constantly found them complaining about
this or that in their program, or about how much paperwork they had to do, etc.
I vowed that if I would ever be lucky enough to be accepted, I would NEVER be
found complaining about ANYTHING. Not even the heat. All of these are what comes
with the unbelievable opportunities that the DCP will bring.
I found
myself being extremely jealous of my friends who made getting accepted so easy.
I was so happy for them, but at the same time, I wondered what I was doing
wrong? Why were all my friends from my same school or similar situations
getting accepted while I was trying again for my third time? I found solace in
a friend that finally got accepted on his fifth time applying. That’s nothing
compared to my three times. I was embarrassed for advertising my frustration
when my situation could have been so much worse.
I knew that one of these times, I HAD to get accepted. I was born to make magic. I’ve always said that, but it’s true. I can feel it in every ounce of me. Working for Disney is my calling. I just know it.
I hope you
can imagine how my heart stopped when I got The Email—the email that finally
invited me to take the Web-Based Interview. It came within a couple of hours after submitting my application. I could not believe it. I had said about ten prayers since I had submitted my application, just so that I could even be considered to get a WBI email. I had to remind myself to breathe. Time and time again of applying, and here I was, farther than I had ever gotten before. I checked my email at least three times to ensure that I wasn't seeing things. This was actually happening.
I knew I
had what it takes to get accepted, and I knew that if Disney Recruiting would
only interview me over the phone, they would see that. But before I could reach
that moment, I had to pass the WBI.
