Questions Future DCP Cast Members Get Tired of Hearing

So, you have been accepted to the Disney College Program, paid your fees, and chose an arrival date. Now what? You wait, and wait, and wait, and wait (about 124 days to be exact.) In what feels like forever, you will be embarking on magical journey that is a once in a lifetime experience, but until then, be ready to be asked the same exact questions over and over again.

Believe me, I would know. I will be graduating in May, and I have been asked countless times about my plans for after graduation. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking about Disney and I could not be more excited about this program, but I am an overall private person, and get tired of repeating myself time after time. Here are some questions that you will (not may, but will) be asked if you are participating in an upcoming DCP.

1. “So which Disney princess are you going to be?” — I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked this question! Just because I am working at Walt Disney World DOES NOT mean I am going to be a princess! Trust me, if I had the talent, there’s nothing I would love more than to be friends with Belle, but it is not in the cards for me. It is harder than one may think to become friends with the characters (Disney’s terms). You have to go through an entire audition process (involving dancing), and one never begins as a face character. So, to answer the question, I will not be Cinderella, or Belle, or Ariel, or Aurora for five months, thank you very much.

2. “But don’t you think you will get sick of the parks?” — Simple answer, NO! There is SO much to see and do in not just the Walt Disney World Resort, but Orlando and the surrounding areas. I have grown up going to the parks, and my fondest memories are taken place there. I know I will not get sick of being able to go to Magic Kingdom whenever I want, or resort hopping. Even though I have been to WDW countless times, there is still so much I want to see and do. I will not get sick of it. Not anymore than the average person gets sick of his or her surroundings.

3. “What exactly will you be doing?” — I tell people my role is merchandise (or in Disney’s magical terms, merchantainment), and I still get asked this question. Yes, I will be working in a store at a resort or park. It is an internship program, and I will be learning just as much as someone else participating in an internship. I will be learning the in’s and out’s of a Fortune 500 company, and see firsthand what really goes on behind the scenes of the Disney success. I will be doing a lot more than just a merchandise role, that’s for sure.

4. “How will this benefit you?” — As a graduating senior, this seems to be a question that I am getting more and more. Just because this job is not necessarily in my major does not mean I will not be benefiting from it. This is WALT DISNEY WORLD. That looks amazing on a resume. I will be meeting so many people, and most importantly getting my foot in the door with the company. With a company as renowned as Walt Disney, one cannot simply make their way to the top without a little climbing. These are my first steps, and I will be greatly benefited.

5. “How many free passes do you get?” — Yet another simple answer, not enough. I get six days worth of passes, for three people each day (so I have heard.) Although that seems like a lot, it really is not. If you are not a family member or close friend, you will not be getting a pass.

Don’t fret everyone who is a fellow future Cast Member, we will be in Walt Disney World making magic soon enough. Put a smile on your face next time you get asked these questions, and think about how everyone is just jealous.