By Sara Warmbrand
The sign at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom reads, “Where Dreams Come True.”
RVCC sophomore Brooke Sawyer can attest to that.
Last September a friend told her about an internship at Disney World. She went online, filled out an application, attended an orientation at Union County College and was accepted before Thanksgiving. Since arriving in Lake Buena Vista, Florida in January, Sawyer has been living the Disney dream.
The Walt Disney World College Program gives college students all over the globe the opportunity to live, work, and learn in a new environment. The program provides great work experience and gives participants, or “cast members,” the opportunity to take classes taught by Disney staff.
Sawyer was assigned a job as an operations cast member in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The training was fun.
“I pretty much just had to memorize little speeches in case any guests had questions about the animals,” she said. “Oh! And I had to learn how to say hello in Swahili: Jambo!”
Sawyer is also adjusting well to the Florida weather. “My skin doesn’t even burn anymore,” She said, “Well, not as much as it used to.”
Although Sawyer has not declared a major, she loves animals and has considered veterinary work. “The people at Disney are really good about giving cast members jobs that coincide with their major,” she said. “There are some art majors designing sets and I know a girl who is majoring in hotel management and has a job at one of the Disney hotels.”
Sawyer has gotten the opportunity to live on her own, an experience that most students at a community college do not have. Cast members are provided with inexpensive, fully furnished apartments. When asked about the worst part of her job, she answered, “People that ask stupid questions! Seriously, I’ll be standing in front of the giraffes and someone will ask me where the giraffes are. It takes a lot of self-control to put on a smile and answer them nicely.”
The cast members are given at least two days off per week, and since Animal Kingdom closes earlier than the rest of the parks, Sawyer almost always has her nights free.
Members of the program are given free entrance to any of the Disney parks, and are also allowed into the nightclubs in Downtown Disney free of charge. Friends and family are also allowed into the parks for free and are given significant discounts in the Disney hotels.
Sawyer returns to New Jersey in May and will continue her education at RVCC in the fall. “This experience really has been amazing,” she said, “and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to get out of Jersey for a while, but still be learning and making money.” She would like to participate in another Disney internship in 2008.
More information on the Disney internship can be found at http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com.
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