This page will help you understand the timeline and process of the Disney College Program. The times are approximate and vary from year to year and depending on your arrival date. This will mainly be focused on the process leading up to the program, but will also include some info on after the program has started. Also note: This is the process for the WDW program in Florida, the DLR program in California might work a little differently.
August
Applications open (August 16, 2016)! After submitting the application the next steps are the Web Based Interview and Phone Interview. Not everyone is invited to complete these steps right away, be patient and wait. Whether or not you're invited to take the WBI is based on your application, and whether or not you're invited to schedule a PI is based on your WBI. Just because you're not invited to take complete one of these steps right away doesn't mean you won't be later, It's not over until your submission status says "No Longer In Consideration".
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September
People can continue to apply and interview for the program. First acceptance waves begin (September 15, 2016). The order of acceptances appears to be random, some people will wait months for an acceptance, others will be accepted in a matter of days, you still have a couple months to find out. You have one week to accept your offer (but you can email recruiting asking for an extension), the first step is to accept your offer by accessing it via the candidate portal on your dashboard. Shortly after you'll be sent another link to pay your fees and choose your dates through DORMS. After picking the dates you are done. You will receive an email with the subject "acceptance confirmation" and that means you have successfully accepted the program. Shortly after you will receive an email with the subject "Welcome to the Disney College Program Team" as well as "Request for additional information" you should fill out the additional information asap, but it's not part of accepting your offer. After being accepted you should join Facebook groups, fill out a roommate survey (find it on the Facebook pages), find roommates, and look at the different housing options.
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October
Not much is going to happen in October, applications will remain open and acceptances will continue coming out. Character Performer auditions take place in October, and the acceptances for this role will come out later this month. Applications will likely close during October, at which point many people who have been waiting will be offered a WBI or PI. Continue looking for roommates and comparing housing. Also, contact your school to see what kind of credit they can offer you and figure out if you want to take any classes or seminars through Disney.
November
All decisions will be made by mid-November (November 18, 2016). There's not much more to do, besides continue with what you've been doing: looking at roommates, housing, and classes. Focus on your classes and plan for the program. You will be invited to register for classes toward the end of November or beginning of December. If you're flying, you should book your flight in November, the best time to book your flight is on a Tuesday 6-8 weeks in advance, also start looking at booking a hotel for the night before your check-in.
December
Things will start happening again in December. If you haven't been invited to register for classes yet, that will happen. Also you will get an email from a 3rd party agency to fill out info for Disney to do a background check on you. You'll also receive emails reminding you of Disney look and a few other things. If you are one of the first arrivals, you will also receive the opportunity to sign up for housing as well as an email with your check in time and housing complex.
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January
January is when the real magic happens! Most arrivals are in January. Three weeks before your arrival you'll be invited to choose your housing preferences. One or two weeks before your arrival you'll receive your check in itinerary with your check in time, housing complex, casting time, housing meeting, as well as traditions class, if you're housekeeping or resort custodial you'll also have a housekeeping town hall. I recommend arriving in Orlando the day before check in, whether you're driving or flying, unless you live less than 4 hours away. During your first week (after check in) you'll have Casting (getting all your paperwork done), a housing meeting (where they explain the rules and safety tips for housing), maybe a housekeeping town hall (to meet leaders for housekeeping and resort custodial and be encouraged since those are the roles that self-term the most), and traditions (welcome to the company class). After that you'll have 2-3 days of class training at Disney University and an on site orientation at your home park or resort, and then you'll have on the job training (the length of OTJ training depends on your role, they average about 7 days of training). At that point you'll quickly fall into your routine as a cast member.
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