Disney International Programs

The Disney International Programs (previously named the Walt Disney World International Program) is an international internship program operated by the Disney Programs division of The Walt Disney Company at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States. These programs recruit participants and college students (18 years and older) from outside the United States and its territories for year-long cultural exchanges with paid positions and summer-long paid internships, working at the Walt Disney World Resort. The programs are designed to attract international workers and students and share many similarities with the US-based Disney College Program and its philosophy of Living, Learning and Earning.

Previous programs

Originally, Disney International Programs operated several different types of programs. Program length, work locations, job responsibilities, living arrangements, pay and required qualifications varied depending on the program which was applied for. Once all the programs were merged, they became one Walt Disney World International Program, now the Disney International Programs. Previous programs included:

World Showcase Fellowship Program: similar to the Cultural Representative Program but with a structured educational program and community involvement.
International Hospitality Program: aimed to students fluent in Japanese, Portuguese, French or German, pursuing a career in hospitality. Participants were able to experience different work roles all over the resort.

Current programs

Over the years, several International Programs were operated and subsequently suspended, a new one was created for Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park and ultimately in 2004, all the Walt Disney World International Programs were combined into two new all-encompassing programs, namely the Walt Disney World Cultural Representative Program and the Walt Disney World International College Program. A new seasonal worker program has also been launched which initially required applicants to have previously completed an International Program in order to be eligible, but this requirement was soon waived due to insufficient applications.[1] The locations and positions available to participants on International Programs vary according to program and preference in that order.

Cultural Representative Program

The Cultural Representative Program (CRP) showcases participants' culture and customs with guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, over the course of approximately a year. To qualify for this program, applicants must "authentically represent" one of the countries or regions recreated at a Walt Disney World theme park or resort. During their interview, applicants fill out their role preferences from most interested to least.[2] The applicant's employer may not be Disney once a position has been offered, but an "operating participant" instead, trading within Walt Disney World, in which the participant would not be eligible for the same benefits as regular Disney Cast Members.

Participants in the Cultural Representative Program perform their roles at Epcot's World Showcase, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, or a combination of them, while for guest relations positions, participants are assigned to one of the four theme parks or Disney Springs. The Cultural Representative Program has different options open to applicants during their application process, depending on the pavilion's offerings. The exact location for positions varies according to the country the participant represents.

International College Program

The International College Program (ICP) is a program similarly based on the Disney College Program, designed for international students who are currently enrolled in an accredited semester-program college or university, pursuing a 3-to-4 year degree. Applicants must be between academic years and as such, the program will run during their summer vacation, varying in length.

During their interview, applicants fill out their role preferences, from most interested to least, for their International College Program, often assigned to roles based on seasonal need and may be rotated based on peak time operational needs. Participants in the International College Program may work in any of Walt Disney World's four theme parks, two water parks or on-site resort hotels and are often rotated based on peak-time operational need and may be cross-trained as such from position to position and park to park.

Summer International College Program: students participate in a program similar to the Disney College Program's summer program, which coincides with their summer vacation/holiday from their college or university. This program, with a duration of two to three months, is reserved for students currently enrolled in an accredited semester-program college or university and are pursuing a 3-to-4-year degree.[3]

Academic Exchange International College Program: students participate in a program which also mirrors the Disney College Program but may spend up to a full year working at the resort while taking coursework through the DCP and distance-learning at their U.S. sponsoring university. Alternatively, students may spend five months studying at their U.S. sponsoring university and seven months working and taking classes at the Walt Disney World Resort. This program is available to current students and recent university graduates.

H-2B Alumni Program

The H-2B Alumni Program allows participants to work at the resort on an H-2B seasonal work visa as a seasonal employee while in the United States. Candidates must complete their current program successfully with a confirmed rehire status and return to school for one semester in their home country before returning on an H-2B visa. The available options for H-2B participants, in regards to available roles, are similar to those for the International College Program.

Coronavirus impact

On March 14, 2020, the Disney International Programs were suspended due to the ongoing worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its spread to Florida.[9][10][11] International participants actively enrolled during this time in company-sponsored housing were asked to vacate in a short period of time, as well as Disney College Program and culinary students, providing full credit and completion of the program in return. Shortly after, the Walt Disney World Resort closed operations, initially until April 19, 2020. On April 6, 2020, the suspension of the program was extended to those applicants with May 2020 arrival dates,[12] after The Walt Disney Company extended the closure of its resorts until early June 2020.

On July 2, 2020, the Disney International Programs and the Disney College Program were suspended for the rest of 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic further impacted operations of both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.[13][14] On July 14, 2020, less than a week after the Walt Disney World Resort reopened during the coronavirus pandemic, the Cultural Representative Program was suspended indefinitely, impacting those who were actively participating at the time and future participants who were accepted for the Fall 2020 semester.[15]

On March 9, 2021, at the Walt Disney Company's shareholder's meeting, then-CEO Bob Chapek expressed interest in resuming operations of the Disney College Program by the end of 2021. He also expressed interest in inviting back those participants who were impacted by the closure of the program in 2020, so they can properly experience and fulfil their programs.[16] On May 3, 2021, Disney Programs announced a June 2021 return of the Disney College Program in Orlando,[6][7] though no announcement was immediately made for the International Programs.[8]

On March 25, 2022, Disney Programs announced the Disney International Programs would return to Orlando with the Cultural Representative Program for August 2022.[17][18]

On April 11, 2022, Disney Programs announced the return of the Cultural Exchange Program for June 2022 for select countries.[3]

former names	• World Showcase Fellowship Program • International Hospitality Program • Waterpark/Sports and Recreation Trainee Program • International Culinary Trainee Program • African Cultural Representative Program • International Management Program • Walt Disney World International Program
type	International internship
established	1982
parent	Disney Programs
affiliation	The Walt Disney Company
students	500+ per semester
city	Orlando
state	Florida
country	United States
campus	Urban
language	English
free label	Weekly newsletter
free	Disney Programs Life Now
free label2	US-based
free2	Disney College Program
website	thedisneyip.com

Disney International Programs

Previous programs

Application process

Current programs

Cultural Representative Program

International College Program

H-2B Alumni Program

Housing

Coronavirus impact

See also

External links

References