UPDATE: Disney College Program Cast Members Allowed to Reapply After Program Suspended - Inside the Magic

Comments for UPDATE: Disney College Program Cast Members Allowed to Reapply After Program Suspended

Diisney College Program

44 Comments

  1. Mark

    Sadly alot of the parks are run by real cms! There is no reason these cms wont be back once they reopen just bc cps (btw whom really are there to party and not work i never met one sadly that actually wanted to wrk) are gone! I repeat there are plenty of cms at wdw and dl that actually do a great job and there here ready to get back to wrk! Just bc cps go home isnt a reason to tell people wdw isnt reopening that was bad judgement ryan!

    1. Harley

      Sadly i was just about to say that mark no offense to ryan but please send the party people home half them stand there bothered then really want to wrk! The real cms are either still there at wdw hotels springs etc or ready and waiting to go back i know many that are glad they are getting paid but going to happy to not have to do nothing all day… a few i know picked up shifts around just they could help guests instead of do nothing! Wdw will always run bc they have enough cms thats not a sign of closing forever! If they let everyone go i be concerned!

      1. Ab

        Wow you all don’t know what you’re talking about. CP’s are a huge chunk of CM

        1. Lala

          CPS aren’t a huge chunk of WDW workers. We have over 75000 castmembers. CPS are really only needed during halloween and Christmas parties.

    2. John

      The most asinine comment made about this situation. Sometimes you are better off keeping your mouth closed and not confirming the idiocy that comes out when you open it.

    3. Barbara

      Mark unfortunately you must be an outdated, unhappy person. My daughter is there currently and she and her roommates and friends love their roles at the Disney parks. She looked forward to interacting with guests especially kids and is devastated to ne leaving. Maybe this time of rest for you will give you new insight on what Disney is all about. Its definitely a buisness and s money making corporation but for true Disney people there is magic in the parks and these kids go there to participate. Unfortunately not everyone has the best work ethics but maybe seasoned Disney people should help impart those skills on these young people instead of being negative and feeling threatened by them. Once Disney reopens and you are truly down thousands of DCP workers msybe you will realize they arent so bad after all. Enjoy the much needed rest you seem due for.

      1. LD

        ?????? Ditto my daughter. She has been commended twice for her work ethic. So what an awful thing to say about CP’s. They are devastated beyond belief- this was a step in their future that is now starting over from square one! ?

      2. Paul

        My daughter is on her second go around on the Disney College Program and by no means there to party. She takes her job very seriously and loves it there. She is crushed that this is happening. She treated each guest the way Walt Disney believed they should be treated. I am sure most of the students in the program felt the same way.

    4. Jack

      Wow Mark, stereotyping much? I was a CP at one point and worked hard because I was there to learn and get my foot in the door with the company. Many of my roommates and friends in the program were in the same boat as well. Many of us have gone on to do professional internships with Disney and some of us have even landed full time salaried roles. Just because some CP’s go to party doesn’t mean that is the way all CP’s are. I’m sure this was heartbreaking to all the CP’s that are actually there to work and network with people in the company because that opportunity has now been cut short. You’re being incredibly insensitive, narrow minded and discriminatory saying that CP’s are worthless and just there to party.

    5. Rich

      Whoa there. My wife is a CP and busted her backside when she was on the clock, being commended twice for going above and beyond. She can’t wait to go back, and I myself hope to gain employment with WDW in the next few months.

      Best not to lump everyone into a group based on the actions of a few.

  2. Stephy

    My mom is on the DCP she can’t come home cause my grandparents are in their 80s. We really don’t know what to do. She’s homeless right now for at least 2 weeks. We don’t know what to do.

    1. R

      Have her reach out to people on the Disney Roommate Finder page. There are a lot of people offering emergency rooms for people who need a place to crash.

      1. Irvin Shores

        My daughter did a semester there and has friends still there. These kid’s have been told to be out in two day’s, it is clear this place does not care about it’s cast. Some of these people are from other countries how do they get home without putting them in danger?

    2. Harley

      I am sorry to hear about your mom i hope you know shes not one of the crazy kids we mentioned above! I pray she gets home safe and your grandparents remain safe and health as well!

      1. I’m in California and my daughter is a cm after 2 programs. She is heartbroke. She said staying home for a couple days ok but weeks is unbearable. She already misses her co and cm friends. She can’t come home and I cant go there. Super sad and lonely girl. ??

      2. Michele

        Please try to understand what is really going on with all the cast members in Orlando following the Cultural Exchange Program!!! My sister works in the Italian Pavillion that is runned out a 3rd party company. (Patina Group) Seems that they are giving no clue of Disney directive, and just leaving everybody on the street! Can someone in Orlando investigate?? Please

  3. Ann Thompson

    My daughter was a DCP member and was one of the few that loved her job, was never late and stayed on as seasonal. Instead of bashing people (even if they were there “for the wrong reasons”), how about we pray for our world, nation, leaders, families and friends.

    1. Jan

      Thank you. Same here. My granddaughter was a DCP member in Disneyland and loved the program and worked every day and loved it. Let’s not bash the people who were very dedicated and loved the DCP. She is heartbroken and wants to stay with Disney!

  4. Jo

    so many spelling mistakes on the statement provided. is it even an official statement?

    1. Jamie

      We live in a world were spelling check is na! I understand comments your writing quick i have had a few but you think the article writers would take the time to care to make sense- thats why i think harley and mark are making the comment about wdw can run without cps its bc ryan said they can not and will be closed till summer!

  5. RAF

    My husband was to start back at Disney – today. He was postponed until they open again. It’s really putting us in a bind because we’re at the end of the money leftover from our cross-country move. Prayers are appreciated!

  6. MKG

    What is Disney doing to assist these interns getting home? They’ve given them 4 days to get out…..yes, by the 18th. What happens to the international interns? Are they even allowed to travel back home? Does Disney even care? Sure seems like they don’t.

  7. Lori

    My daughter is part of this program…she loves it!! She is responsible and cares about her job. She loves making the magic (as she says). She called me in tears after this letter. It is heartbreaking. I just wish they would have let these kids quarantine there for a couple of weeks like everywhere else. Instead, they are all these college students fly home in the midst of this (and on VERY short notice)…this scares me. I pray they all make it home safe and healthy.

    1. Deb

      I think that the issue is that it will be more than a couple of weeks. News says it will be 5 weeks before the virus levels out. This will bring it to the end of the semester.

      1. Rebel Porg

        The issue is wdw isnt closing for that long! If they are nuts! I survived this way before it was named bc know what facts are china lied they knew in nov so we could have all had it and never knew now the whole worlds gone bonkers bc it has a name! My heart goes out to all cps displaced and reg cms alike not to be working and not knowing is just the icing of the stupid esp when world half the world away where this started is back to normal! Wrong time to pull the word pandemic should have said it sooner!

  8. Harley

    I know plenty of cps that were welcomed back in yrs past or just became cms outright! I hope it all wrks out for you!

  9. Amb89

    My daughter is a DCP and is devastated. Why because she would have ended her program at end of May, applied for full time then. She is not eligible for another program unless she goes back to college and applies next spring. Her life plan just blew up.

    1. Jackie

      Disney will hire her as a full time cm she just needs to talk to someone or go online and apply! Its working at wdw her life isn’t ruined i love disney and yet thats a stretch she doesnt have much on life goals does she $15 an hr! Lots of people on this comments behind rose tinted glasses honestly! And i never became a cm bc i knew too much!

      1. amb89

        Her full plan included working within entertainment with her Digital media degree w/ a Minor in both communicationand theatre. So she can produce shows at Disney.

    2. Michelle

      I was in EPCOT yesterday and from what the DCPs were saying, Disney is giving them a satisfactory completion of their program. So your daughter will be eligible to apply for full time once WDW reopens (but it might take about a month or so for things to start getting back to normal.

      1. Mary Kate

        Satisfactory completion is nothing for my daughter who was to work as a photographer in Epcot, received her ears on Friday at Traditions, received her uniform on Saturday only to return the uniform on Sunday to get her graduation ears. She never worked there and she is devastated that she will not be coming back. Why bring someone back who has no experience when others have been there since January. I have no words for her. So difficult. They have her listed as completed the program and she has no experience, but she looks like she completed the program and satisfactory completion shows you did not quit, you weren’t fired, but you did not return. Tonight has been awful to see her sob that she never had a beginning when it became the end.
        She has no job to go to and she can not apply anywhere now to work as all businesses are shut. My daughter says she does not have access to the hub to apply to anything on the website as she no longer works there. Please tell me she is wrong. I’m at a loss for words but am only a very good listener and hugger for her.

  10. DPS

    Keep in mind that housing is just old apartments turned into a dorm operation. So that’s 6-8 20 somethings living together in a 3 or 4 bedroom apartment. Laundry facilities are shared between buildings. Plus, housing has transportation which is crowded buses going between the complexes and the parks. You can’t enforce social distancing. If someone were to get sick, you’d be unable to isolate or quarantine anyone at home. You’d have to quarantine the entire housing property. Which as colleges have learned with contagious disease outbreaks — does not work. That’s a big reason college campuses are closing right now and moving to online courses. Unfortunately, DCP doesn’t have that option; you can’t run an attraction from home. So from a health & safety aspect of preventing illness, I understand the decision. Do I think this was the only choice? No. By no means do I think this was handled well, communicated well, NOR is it fair. They essentially fired several hundred people and said you’ll be evicted on Wednesday. VIA AN EMAIL. Many had MONTHS left on their programs. Plus, with travel restrictions in place, airlines cutting international flights how is anyone going to get home? Many countries are imposing mandatory 14 self isolation or quarantine for returning international travelers. So not only have they just been laid off and evicted, they now get to be cut off from the world too.

  11. Cheri Morris

    But won’t they need them when the park reopens? My heart goes out to these cast members. They love their jobs and many are given credit for college hours from their colleges to come there and do the program. They have made lifelong friends
    from all over the world.
    Disney will need them when the park reopens and then the won’t have them so
    are they thinking they may closed for a long time? The next group won’t come in until August? This is heartbreaking. .

  12. Barbara

    Mark unfortunately you must be an outdated, unhappy person. My daughter is there currently and she and her roommates and friends love their roles at the Disney parks. She looked forward to interacting with guests especially kids and is devastated to ne leaving. Maybe this time of rest for you will give you new insight on what Disney is all about. Its definitely a buisness and s money making corporation but for true Disney people there is magic in the parks and these kids go there to participate. Unfortunately not everyone has the best work ethics but maybe seasoned Disney people should help impart those skills on these young people instead of being negative and feeling threatened by them. Once Disney reopens and you are truly down thousands of DCP workers msybe you will realize they arent so bad after all. Enjoy the much needed rest you seem due for.

  13. Amber

    Every single site talking about this is going, “oh, how understanding Disney is, how careful about the virus” and totally ignoring that these students they’re booting into the street have NOWHERE TO GO. They can’t go back to their home countries with travel shut down! They can’t stay in the country with their work visa essentially canceled, they have no place to go, who cares about getting full semester credits, Disney is stranding them homeless and alone! This isn’t cautious or kind, it’s cruel. People on Facebook are talking about how their co-workers are sobbing in their dorms because they have to leave in a few days and have absolutely no place that can take them in legally. This is a vile thing to do to these kids.

    1. Jackie

      There paying them still right like other cms tell em all to deal it w like grown adults! Thats what the program is all about teaching them how to do a good job… guess what folks getting kicked out or fired is a way of life! But i know for a fact disney is a good company and will allow rehires in time! So sorry your child etc has to find somewhere else to live its called LIFE! Whom would want to live in the frat houses of cp living anyways open your eyes mark is not outdated its the rose tinted glasses you all wear that is the cp way of life! While i also know many whom love the park i know many whom play the roll and dont give a dame!!!!

  14. LD

    It seems they are following the same protocol as the college’s that closed and/or told students not to return. We are all flying by the seat of our pants trying to follow the CDC recommendations. I doubt any one wants any of this to happen but here we are and have to do the best we can. I feel for them, my daughter did 2 programs. I’m glad they get a completion and have the opportunity to come back.

  15. My daughter is there alone, no family or friends other than what she made from this program. She left college for a semester she is scared not knowing how to travel alone, especially since there is talk about closing travel to California. Disney doesn’t even have transportation for them to get to the airport.This was her dream for along time to intern for Disnryworld. She took her job serious. To give the CP a bad name is wrong. What Disney is doing telling them they have 4 days to get out is wrong, My DD is 19. Not only that. They found out from guests that DE was closing from CNN. I understand it’s like a college and you have to choose but is there anyone there really instructing these kids on what to do? I pray for all those kids especially the ones from other countries that now cant get back. Very sad.

  16. Bridgette

    These kids have been widely exposed. Now I have to FLY to bring my child home in a matter of 3 days. Then to figure out where she and I will quarantine because she’s been exposed to people from all over the world. Talk about spreading the infection… what they should have done was initiate quarantine. They’d still be piss but it’d have gone further to protect the general public. Now we’re going to send them all back to their communities… really ?.

    1. Rebel Porg

      Exposed to what wdw closed for safety not bc wdw had corona!

      1. Mark

        Exactly i was there before hell broke loose and people were on vacation enjoying life and ignoring reality for a min within the magic! Godspeed cps and all cms! The magic will be back soon and i hope to see yall real soon!

  17. Zola

    My daughter and the friends she made who all come from Australia are devastated. She has been attending for her roster as a lifeguard and turned away. She received the email while at work, and has to sort out flights back to Australia where there is a 14 day self-quarantine. You do not just get flights on demand, but this is too short a notice for them. What do they do after 11am on Wed, what contingency is there for them. We checked for flights on Wed and there are very few and very expensive. She has only been there since January, has been making her apartment a home, and now have to pack everything, and not given sufficient time to do so, as they are basically being evicted. Lastly, with their employment terminated, what happens to their visas, or rather, how long can they remain in the US on their current visas? Unlike other DCPs, the international group cannot just renew their visas. I also think those who deem all CPs in the same brush are rather shortsighted. Like anywhere else, people have different work ethics and my daughter has been putting her job first, and thoroughly enjoying doing so. Suffice to say there are many CPs who do not even drink alcohol. I am offended on their behalf that they are seen as alcoholics. This is just leaving a bad taste for us parents anxious about the well-being of our daughters (and sons for others). Disney presented itself as a reputable employer that puts safety of its employees first. But evicting young people who only came to Disney out in the streets without any real contingency is really disturbing. Although we understand about safety-driven closures, my issue is that there has to have been contingencies for the international CPs.

  18. Amb

    Anyone who thinks the DCP Program is for losers is crazy! The DCP Program is excellent. These young adults work harder than most. Ten to 12 hour back to back shifts, taking crap from whiner guests who believe they are entitled, they should be paid more! When you know nothing about the program you should keep your mouth shut.

  19. Max Benn

    I’m trying to apply for DCP next fall. Did they take the application button off? I can’t find it on the DCP website

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