Disney Cultural Exchange Program Experiences

I made a slight mistake - there are actually three programmes.

There's the cultural representative programme - where you spend a year representing the UK by working in the UK pavilion in Epcot. Here you'll either be working in food and beverage, or merchandising (or a third option where you're technically employed by a separate company and work in the historic research centre). Applications open in spring and autumn each year, and if successful you could go out at any time during the year. No need to be a student or anything, except for HRC where you must hold a degree and be interested in history. You just have to be at least 18 and hold a passport for the country you're going to represent. Best to do it post or pre uni - although if pre uni, be aware that it's highly competitive, and most people take at least a year between applying and going out there.

Cultural exchange programme - summer programme between uni (or during the summer immediately after uni iirc) - you could be doing pretty much anything in any of the parks (except face characters as there's too much training needed for this). No specific degree needed, you just have to be a student to be eligible for the visa.

There's also a third one where you can spend your placement year of a hospitality or tourism type degree working out there, where your job would be related to the degree. I know much less about this one though

I've not personally done it but I know people who have and they said it's HARD WORK, long hours on your feet and helping some not so friendly people but it is worth it because it's Disney and it can be one of the best things you ever do if you love Disney.

hi, would you know how the selection process is, did your friends have interviews and where they face to face interview or a telephone interviews, did they say it was hard to get onto the program aswell,

sorry for all the questions but i seriously want to go in 2016, I'm a massive disney fan lol

Yey a fellow crazy disney fan ahaha

Posted from TSR Mobile

Are you going to be applying for summer 2016 aswell

Do you know how the interview process is after you apply, like is there a face to face interview or the interview and hows the selection process

There are two stages of interviews, the first lot with yummy jobs, the second with Disney themselves. If you have a look online, there are plenty of blogs and blogs around with more info from those who have been successful (I've applied a couple of times but not got past the application stage).

Do be aware that it is highly competitive and you are quite likely to not get through. Don't let that put you off applying, just don't pin all your hopes and dreams on getting through.

It'll more likely be summer 2017! We're going to Shanghai disneyland in summer 2016 when its opened so I can't go that summer

Posted from TSR Mobile

I decided to apply for 2017 aswell, I'm going to use my first year of university to join a lot of societies to build up my skill set so I have more to talk about in the interviews for both the disney cultural exchange and Americamp

I assumed it would be competitive , but I got 3 years of university so 3 chances to apply hopefully one of the attempts I'll get through, if not I'll be applying to places like Camp America and Canada alongside hoping to get somewhere.

Do you have a link to a blog

I'm currently looking for summer jobs and was looking at the possibility of joining Disney's 'cultural exchange program' but I was just wondering if anybody had any experiences with it? I'd quite like to know how people found it before applying. Any help would be appreciated.

I did it Summer 2012 and loved it. Don't go expecting to have money saved it up though. You get a roommate and they do work you hard. I was in quick service food and beverage and I was on my feet for 10 hours a day. But it is fun and you meet really great friends from America and all over the world

how did you find the interview process for yummy jobs and which year of university did you go and did you get in first time round

Do you have to be in a certain university to do the programme??

Posted from TSR Mobile

Not that I'm aware of you can be in College too.

Decided I'm going to try for disney for summer 2016 , that gives we 3 chances to try to get accepted onto the program

Okay! Is that just the universities they conduct their interviews at?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Not sure, I would assume so as it was only universities I heard people being interviewed at.