Have you ever found yourself captivated by the magic of Disney? Are you looking for an entry into the workplace whilst earning credit for college? Then the Disney College Program is what you’re looking for. This well sought-after program offers candidates a chance to gain hands-on experience within Disney’s vacation centers, network with Disney leaders across the company, and gain theoretical knowledge on building your career whilst preparing you for the workplace. We will discuss the Disney College Program Interview here.
Disney College Program Interview Questions
To ace, the interview read through the most frequently asked questions below, and try your hand at answering them.
- Why do you want to enroll in the Disney College Program?
This is the question that is most frequently asked within the interview. Candidates should prepare themselves to be asked this question within the first five minutes of the interview and opt to answer as honestly and as authentically as possible. Below are a few guidelines as to how candidates could answer this question:
- Introduce your personal attributes and values that you feel make you suited for this program.
- State how you feel that this program will enable you to achieve your career goals.
- Reflect on how this program will enable you to achieve your personal goals.
- Refer to Disney’s reputation as one of the most popular college internship programs and the benefits of being a part of such a popular program.
- Explain how the program’s specifics (for example, the networking opportunities, the career-building techniques, the interaction with people nationally and across the globe) appeal to you and why.
- How does Disney make you feel?
Disney recruiters ask this question to understand how well you can suit the Disney work culture. Candidates should aim to reflect on this question that showcases their first encounter with the Disney franchise whilst understanding the true essence of the Disney brand. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when answering this question:
- Ensure that you reflect on the values of Disney and incorporate these into how they make you feel. For example, you could answer that “Disney makes me feel optimistic and inspired…” and expand on why Disney makes you feel this way.
- A personalized story about how you became fascinated with Disney allows the interviewer to understand your character and present yourself uniquely. An example answer could be, “I fell in love with Disney the moment that I watched the first Beauty and the Beast movie. The storyline made me feel that any challenge could be overcome if you relied on those you loved. As such, I have carried this lesson with me throughout my life, and I apply it to every situation that I experience”.
- How will you contribute to the company?
To answer this question, candidates should bear in mind the aims and characteristics of the Disney College Internship program and how these aims can be achieved due to their past experiences.
For example, one of the aims of this program is to expose college students to the Disney workplace. As such, candidates will be expected to work in the Disney resorts as guides, parking attendants, presenters, and so forth. Candidates would reflect on their past experiences where they took on leadership roles and expand on how these leadership roles helped them grow individually.
Your answers could include:
- How the leadership role taught you how to interact with others.
- How you learned to take the initiative when the situation required it.
- How the role enabled you to refine your problem-solving techniques.
- Did you or did you not enjoy your experience at Disneyland or Disneyworld?
Whilst most recruiters will expect candidates to reflect on their positive experiences at one of the Disney resorts, poor experiences that candidates may have encountered can also be used in this answer. For example, if a candidate has encountered a poor experience at the resort, they can state how they would ensure that any Disney guests will not encounter the same experience. Not only will this provide a unique answer which allows you to stand out from the pool of interview participants, but this further allows you to showcase your problem-solving skills and your optimistic approach, which is a value that the Disney college program highly seeks.
- Do you thrive in a slow or fast paced work environment?
Recruiters ask this question so that they may understand how flexible you are within your work environment. Considering that this work environment is predominantly fast-paced, it is best to answer in the following way:
“As I am an individual that thrives on flexibility and making the best out of every work situation that I find myself in, I believe that the pace of the work environment will not compromise my work integrity in any manner.”
- What steps would you take if an emergency were to occur?
To answer this question comprehensively, think out a detailed response to any emergency that may occur at one of the Disney resorts and calmly answer this question. Your thought-out answer may look like the following:
- “I would first assess the situation and clear the surrounding area.”
- “I would proceed to notify my supervisor or coordinator of the matter at hand.”
- “If necessary, I would dial 911 and wait with the affected individual until emergency services arrive”.
- Describe a difficult situation that you encountered within the workplace. How did you handle the situation?
This question requires a personal answer from your life. A difficult situation can vary from a dispute with a colleague to a misunderstanding with a customer. Be sure to reference the situation while providing a solution to a problem if you encountered it in the Disney workplace. By illustration, if you disagreed with a customer on the price of a product in the past and the customer left the store, you can answer that you would do the following in the future:
- You will either recommend a similar product at a price more suited for their budget.
- If the customer is still not satisfied, you will direct the customer to your supervisor.
- Are you comfortable presenting to large groups?
It is important, to be honest when being asked this question. If you are comfortable speaking to large audiences, then follow up this statement with an explanation as to why you enjoy presenting to large audiences and how your experience has aided you in this regard if you are not comfortable presenting in large groups, state why this is the case, as this will allow the Disney recruiter to not only gain a greater understanding of your personality, but it will also allow them to place you in a position that is more suited for you. In doing so, both you and the company will maximize your positive contribution to Disney.
A possible answer that you can provide might look like the following:
- “Yes, I am quite comfortable presenting to large groups, as showcased by my experience working as a tutor in college. I enjoy presenting because I am a person that loves interacting with others whilst answering questions that allow the audience to gain a greater understanding of the topic at hand”.
- “No, I am not that comfortable presenting to large groups. I do believe that I would be better suited at helping Disney by working as a custodian or as shop clerk for one of the merchandise stores”.
- Are you able to manage working extended hours outside?
The preferred answer to this question is that you do not mind working extended hours, as this will convey your dedication to the job and your eagerness to be a part of this program. However, if you have a valid reason not to take on the extra hours, state these reasons as the recruiter will most likely be understanding, as their wish is that this program is beneficial to both you and the company.
- What does being true to your character mean to you?
Working at Disney will require you to partake in the magical experience that the company is trying to uphold. This includes ensuring that those adopting particular characters (such as Minnie Mouse or Ariel) will remain in character in whatever situation they might face. Therefore, it is recommended that you include practical examples of how you will aim to remain true to your character despite a variety of challenges that you may face throughout the day. Your answers may look like the following:
- “If I am adopting the character Minnie Mouse and I need to help a co-worker with their job, I will inform the audience around me that Goofy and Mickey Mouse want me to go with them on an adventure to find Donald Duck.”
- “If I need to go to the bathroom and my character is Buzz Light Year, I will inform those around me that I have been called to do a special mission with Woody and that I will be back in a moment.”
Preparedness for the Disney College Program Interview
In reading this article, you should have a general overview of the types of questions that the Disney College Program coordinators may ask in the interview and the types of answers that you will be expected to provide. The Disney College Program recruiters will ask a range of questions from your personal attributes to how you will manage various situations that you are likely to encounter within the program.
In answering these questions, it is always important to incorporate the values of Disney within your answers and convey why this program will benefit both you and the company. Essentially, the program coordinators want to see how authentic you are in your responses and how well suited you are to this program.
Also read Disney Mission, Vision Statement & Values Analysis