Accepted!!!

I returned from class today and checked my email and there it was! "Disney College Program: Your Invitation"! I'm so excited! I barley got past "Congratulations! You have been selected to participate as a Quick-Service Food & Beverage Cast Member on the Disney College Program in the Spring Advantage 2011 Season." before I whipped out the phone and started dialing. I'm not exactly sure which restaurant I'll be working in, but I'm looking forward to it. Now I just have to wait until January for move-in day!

For those of you that are interested in the Disney College Program, you may want to know a little about the interview process. First Disney asks you to take an online interview. Once you complete that, you'll either be asked to call in to set up your phone interview, or kindly told that your responses do not meet the requirements for their roles. If you are instructed to set up the phone interview, you may want to prepare a little. It really helps to have an idea of your responses to the questions before your call. Even if you aren't asked the exact questions you prepared for, they're probably similar, and you'll at least have a little something to base your answer off of. The interview starts off with a review of your application. They want to make sure you'll be able to comply with the "Disney Look." They'll also verify that they're interviewing you for the right location (Walt Disney World versus Disneyland), and ask which program you're applying for (the regular season or Advantage Program). There were a few other questions in there as well, but you get the general idea. Then came the actual interview questions. This is what I can remember:

• Why do you want to participate in the Disney College Program at this point in your life?
• Of the roles that you applied for, which 3 appeal to you the most?
• What did you do in your previous employment?
• What challenges did you have in your previous employment?
• Tell about a time in your previous work experience you made someone feel special.
• What challenges do you think you will face while living with a roommate?
• What would you say if I asked you if you're an independent or team worker?
• If your working or focussing on something and someone interrupts you, how do you feel?

The rest of the questions are tailored more towards the top 3 roles I chose. Attractions was my first choice, followed by Food & Beverage, and then Merchandise.

• When you go to a restaurant, what do you look for in a host or hostess?
• What do you think makes a good host or hostess?
• Have you ever served someone as a host or hostess before?
• How comfortable are you speaking in front of large audiences?
• What experience do you have handling and counting back money?

At the end she had a few more yes/no questions for me about the College Program and gave me a chance to ask any questions I had at the end. Overall, the interview lasted about 15-20 minutes. I was really nervous but glad that I had thought through some of the questions other Cast Members had been asked ahead of time. She told me that I would hear back from them in 3-4 weeks and that was that. Thank goodness I got an email after about 3 days! I was dying to know! They ask you to complete the acceptance online, pay the activities fee, and choose the dates of your arrival and departure. After that you're able to access a page through the College Program website that gives you more info, now that you've been selected. Now I'm just waiting for my brochure in the mail, with more College Program details. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.

Here are some great websites to check out with some more interview questions:

DISboards.com: Any tricky CP interview questions?

WDWRadio.com: Interview Tips