My Disney Journey So Far....

In the Beginning...

I applied for Disney’s ICP (International College Program) on 01/08/2012 and I found out on 02/11/12 that I got through! I applied through Yummy Jobs (google it) which is the only way for people in the UK to do this program as far as I’m aware. I first heard about this program in 2011, which is only available to University students, and I was in my third year of Uni. So I applied in summer and got through to the first round, a phone interview. However, I did not pass this round (I am so bad at phone interviews!) even though I thought it went well. I actually told the interviewer from Disney this in my final interview and then regretted it, although I guess that didn’t matter!
As I am doing a Master’s course I found out I was eligible to apply for the program again for the last time this year, so I did….I didn’t change my application form at all really, however, luckily for me, Yummy totally revamped the selection process for 2012 and did away with phone interviews!!

For my application, I researched other people’s Disney blogs and vlogs and used the site http://www.wdwip.com/ which has a great forum where people get together to discuss applications and through which people eventually created a fb group for us all to join.

So…the process…Applications opened on the 1st August on Yummy Jobs website, and then we had a very long wait until 28th September when applications closed. On that day, I was invited to a Group Interview on October 8th in London in a restaurant. We were given the 2 dates for the 2013 ICP, and were told dress was Smart Casual, and to bring our CV’s with passport pic attached. (I had to go get new passport pics done at uni; £5 it cost! :o) Oh and PS if they tell you to bring a CV, BRING IT! A guy at our interview forgot his…safe to say he did not get to the next stage.
My sister also applied and so we both went down to the interview together.

So we turned up at the station and ran around the block trying to find the restaurant in the rain and it turned out it was very close and we’d gone past it! Luckily we weren’t late and we had to hang around for a while anyway while they were finishing with the morning group. We had to sign a few forms and then were given a presentation on the program (most of which I knew!) There was also a quiz for prizes and I won two chocolate lollys for answering ‘What new Disney films are out’ (Frankenweenie!) and how many cast members work at Disney (60,000 ish!) Another guy answered with 6,000…he still got a prize though for trying :) They read out group interview times (2 groups of around 10 people at a time with 2 Yummy Jobs people) and my group was the latest so we all went to sit in All Bar One and got chips and had a great chat. When we came back to the restaurant everyone around us looked nervous and sad, our group were all chatting loudly and happily- we’re on our way to Disney people what’s the matter with you!?

The group interview was scary as I’d not had much experience with them and I tried to enjoy myself but halfway through I think I wasn’t smiling much as I felt I hadn’t said enough. 4 girls sat nearest the Yummy people would NOT stop talking and were pretty much answering everything between them and not giving the others time to speak. We got asked questions and went around the circle answering, but then later on it was more of a free for all and I didn’t say anything for some of the questions at all! So I came out feeling a bit sad, but I swapped fb names/ numbers with some of the lovely guys and girls I met and went home, I had a great day meeting fellow Disney people either way!

Round 2...

So…I thought the group interview didn’t go well, as I’d said far less than in my phone interview, however I guess they liked how I sat there and smiled alot because on the Friday of that week (12th Oct) I got the email inviting me to the final interview!!! and the best bit is…

Your interview will be held on Monday October 22^nd 2012, at the Walt Disney and Co Ltd Head Office, 3 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith and Fulham, London, W6 9PE

Yep Disney HQ baby! Some of the others got a London interview the next day which was back in the restaurant again; I have to say I’m glad I didn’t get put there as it added to the experience to be at the Disney Headquarters :D We had to sign in and were given guest passes.
Unfortunately we had to give them back though! I met up with a girl from my interview group as my sister did not come to the final ones; she got through but had too much dissertation work to do, damn final year!

We had a bit of trouble finding the building, we found the door but were told we had to go ‘round the back’ which consisted of wondering through the small shopping centre near by and coming out the other side. We found it eventually.. and we were ushered upstairs by security guys through a glass gate (with the castle on it) and up stairs with little mickeys on the railings! We had to bring a WHOLE LOAD of paperwork (including role choices woop) with us this time so we handed that in and then were given another presentation by a lovely woman named Sue, a Disney Recruiter. They were giving out luggage tags as prizes this time but I was not quick enough to win one :(

After the pres, we were given interview times- it had changed from 2 candidates and one interview to one-to-ones this time.. and I was given the 12-1 slot so I had an hour or so to kill. I went and sat in Costa with two lovely ladies (who both also got Ops with me :D) and we talked about roles we wanted and what they might ask. They had theirs later so I went back on my own, getting nervous, and had to sit in the upstairs lobby for ages as they had not finished the 11 oclock people. We were sat by frankenweenie posters, a large cardboard cutout of a finding nemo shark, and the actual Iron Man suit! Then some men brought, unwrapped and built a new cardboard cutout for the Tinkerbell movie, complete with flashing lights so that entertained us for a while.

Finally I had my interview with Sue and it went so quickly! I think I babbled far too much (for a usually quiet person) but she mostly asked about my motives and my role choices. Then that was it and I was free to go!

We got told we would hear by the 9th November, but on the fb group everyday people were saying they were dying to hear, and as Yummy missed their deadline last time, it came as a shock that the emails were a whole WEEK earlier!

Congratulations...

Dear Emma,

Greetings from the Yummy Jobs Team and the Walt Disney World International Recruitment Team!
We very much enjoyed meeting with you during our recent recruitment trip throughout the UK.  We met many fantastic students during the trip and Disney was very impressed with the quality of all applications.

After reviewing your application and interview we are delighted to be the first to say
 

Congratulations

You have been offered a place on Disney’s J-1 Cultural Exchange Program.
Your role in the show will be Operations.

Your Cultural Exchange Program will commence on 3rd June 2013 and conclude on 9th August 2013.

In order to accept your position please reply directly to this email by no later than Wednesday November 7^th 2012.
Upon acceptance the Yummy Jobs Team will guide you through the rest of the process to take you all the way to Orlando Florida, USA.

If you have any questions at this time please do not hesitate to ask.

Congratulations once again.

Kind regards,
The Yummy Jobs Team

So… This is the email I received when I was on my way out the door to go bowling with friends…. I wasn’t expecting it for another week! I got a text from one of the girls I met at the interviews and she’d gotten in. I almost couldn’t open mine, so nerve-wracking! But it was good news, and I got my first choice, Attractions, woo!!

I have been waiting for this not just since pressing apply on the Yummy Jobs site on August 1st, but since 2011 when I applied for the first time! Can’t really believe it it doesn’t feel real….