Hi there, As the applications for the 2013 summer ICP are about to open, I've been looking at forums and reading about people's experience of the program. All of this got me extremely excited, if a little nervous, for the whole process. While I've read up on how to write a good cover letter and how to tailor your CV for the job, there are a couple of questions that I just can't find answers to. Firstly, as an ICP, you're presumably either in college or university - how important is your degree subject in the application process? Basically, has anyone gone out while studying something that is totally unrelated to the job they were doing at WDW? I know the volume of applicants is high and my degree subject is totally unrelated to anything I could end up doing at Disney. Thanks to anyone if they can help. Good luck to everyone applying for the 2013 program P.S. I know this is a Disney forum, which is why I just wanted to tack this question on as a footnote: is there a similar discussion for the Universal International program? I've seen loads of v-logs, blogs and discussions about Disney; yet next to none for Universal. I know Disney applications open on August 1st for me, but I'm not aware of a date for Universal. If anyone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it a lot.
Hey I don't think your degree subject used to matter too much but now that there are so many applicants I can imagine it is a bit of a decider for them. If there are 2 amazing applicants they can't decide which one is better.. if one is doing hospitality and one is doing chemistry with history for example.. it's kinda a no brainer who will benefit most from the placement. My degree is Journalism and totally unrelated, when i applied for ICP 2012 I didn't get through...might not have been because of my degree subject though. However when I applied for ICP 2010 I was studying Entertainment Management and needed a placement..Disney was perfect. I got in... but again, you can't know if it was to do with the degree..could just be coincidence. Universal is a new program so applications tend to happen after Christmas, this year it was in February where they let people know if they made it to interview stage.. I haven't been able to find a Universal forum but there is a thread on here somewhere and they've created a Facebook group so people can chat on there too People will start making them nearer the time though too. Anyway hope that helps x
I don't think your degree subject makes too much of a difference. I did the ICP in 2010 and was studying anthropology at university, and had friends on the icp studying things like medicine, education, law and fashion design. Even the American CPs I worked with were majoring in non-tourism degrees like english and nursing! Having said that there were people I was interviewed with/went out to Florida with that were studying tourism/entertainment type degrees, and obviously it is a great opportunity for them, but the fact that you don't have a obviously relevant degree shouldn't put you off applying. I think really as long as you can show how the experience generally would help you in the future (be it from a business sense/international work experience etc.), and that you have a passion for Disney and what they're about you should be OK!
i think, just so long as you can relate your major to a future with disney it looks good- and since disney employs people with pretty much every major from history to maths it should be fine
Does anyone actually know anyone that has done the ICP whilst studying Maths? cos that's what I do and i'm worried they'll dismiss me thinking i'm like a socially awkward maths genius or something (def not!!)
i don't know about maths, but i know someone on the program who's doing bio-chem, which is pretty science-y, and i'm doing computer science xD i guess they can figure that your degree doesn't dictate your personality in the interview stages
It really doesn't matter as long as you have the right personality! I know people that did the ICP or are doing the CRP with no experience and it doesn't matter - they are only going to train you the "Disney" way of doing things anyway. I would say that experience with customers/guests is far more important. You can be trained to work a till, but not everyone can deal with a difficult guest!
Well, if they DO take into account your degree.. I do American Studies, so I really don't know if that helps or hinders me...
Hey guys. I know this post hasn't been posted in for a month or so, but just discovered it. I don't think degree subject matters too much, i've had a couple friends participate in the ICP - one of them does Dentistry, and the other did microbiology (sp?).. So yeah.. I don't think it matters too much, infact, the guy that did dentistry did the ICP 3 times!!!
I'm doing animation! I'm hoping that this might swing in my favour a bit, but I doubt it will! Since disney is mostly animated xD
No offense, but Disney is A LOT more than just animation. Disney pretty much owns everything. Ever watch Storage Wars? That's them. Disney owns A&E. Ever watch Sister Act? Disney owns Touch Stone. Pretty well anything you can think of, Disney has had a hand in.
I know that..... but what I meant is in the parks, most of the characters in the parks are from Animated films. And that's the thing disney is most known for is their animation. I know they own an absolutely huge empire of stuff.
Actually, with the exception of some stuff at HS, even though it's BASED on animation, Disney really separates the parks from anything else. The parks are their own separate experience, and there's really very little/no connection or even mention of animators. I'm really not trying to belittle you, or anything, I just don't want you to go into your interview and talk only about animation, and then not get the job because of that. Do you understand what I mean? i'm trying to get my point across but I'm not sure it's coming across clearly.
