DCP Forever
Hey, Hi, Hello!
Time to talk about my favorite thing ever...DISNEY.
Fall 2016 was the most strange, exhilarating, memorable, and amazing semester of my life. In January of 2016, on a whim, I decided to apply for the Disney College Program. I’ve always loved Disney so the DCP was something I was aware of, but never truly considered.
After receiving my acceptance, I was met with a rush of emotions. I was scared, nervous, indecisive, but mostly, excited. Following some long debates with my family and ultimately, a push to go, I accepted my position as a Merchandise Cast Member.
They say your roommates make or break your experience in the DCP...well, they are right. I LUCKED OUT, Y’ALL. There is absolutely no telling what my experience in the DCP would have been without roommates like Lexi, Rachel, Julia, Alyssa, and Lindsey. (Long live Commons 1022) Sharing a room with Lexi is to date, my favorite college memory. **Cues tears**
Work location is huge when it comes to overall happiness in the DCP. I was placed at what I consider to be the best location in all of Walt Disney World, Epcot MouseGear. MouseGear has the best leaders, the best cast, the list goes on. However, I can’t say much about that uniform...yikes! But, I was really fortunate to be able to work at such a great location, where I made lasting relationships. MouseGear will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Another great aspect of the DCP is all that they offer. There are so many opportunities to network with leaders in the industry, improve your resume, learn necessary skills in the business world, and grow as a person. I wish I had done more in this aspect of the program than I did because the different workshops and panels offered to the program participants are life changing.
So, if you are considering the DCP here are my tips:
DO IT. You will never regret anything more than saying no.
STICK TO IT. I’m not going to tell you that it doesn’t get hard, but it’s worth it. You will have these memories for the rest of your life.
CHOOSE YOUR ROOMMATES WISELY. No one wants to come home after a 14 hour shift to people that they don’t like. Plus, the DCP is so much better when you come out with life long friends.
GO TO THE PARKS. You’re tired, I know. But, go. You will regret in the long run not making memories in the parks more than you will regret not getting enough sleep. Sleep is for the weak and the dead...hehe.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY AND ALL CAREER BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES. I didn’t do this enough, and I am so regretful. I did however, get an amazing resume out of setting up a meeting to have my resume critiqued and edited by a Disney CM.
SOAK IT ALL IN. This is something that not everyone gets to do. It is something you may never get to do again. Embrace it, learn from it, and soak it all in while you can because you blink and it’s over.
If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. All of the long shifts, long nights, and early mornings were beyond worth it in the end. The memories I made will last me a lifetime and Walt Disney World will forever feel like my home away from home.
Ok, I’m crying now.
#DCPForever
XOXO,
Teg
“Promise me we’ll always come back to that place, where we met and sheer magic filled our hearts, where we bounced all day out of pure joy and not even the rain could put a damper on our day.”
P.S. Look out for another post soon about Diabetes in Disney!
P.S.S. No, this will not be my only post about the DCP. ;)