The Disney Summer Associate program

[anijac1412]

Maybe you can help me, I've been looking for a way to get my foot in the door at Disney for a while now, but I'm Canadian, so I have a few setbacks... The only thing I could find was the International College Program...

Do you know if this internship program takes in Canadians? I am majoring in computer sci. / IT (I'm in my third year and still have a full year left), so an opportunity like the one you got would be absolutely AMAZING!

Any info and tips you have would be greatly appreciated!

 

[joepic]

This is fantastic. You don't know how happy I am to have discovered this post.

My dream is to become an Imagineer, and I am so excited to read through your experiences with the internship. It gives me insight to what I'll hope to experience throughout my college career. I hope to graduate with a degree in Computer Science, or somewhere along the line. Always knowing much about computers and technology, I always hoped there were opportunities like this with Disney. Especially an IT internship for the Studios. What a fantastic experience.

Thanks again!

 

[spbink]

Maybe you can help me, I've been looking for a way to get my foot in the door at Disney for a while now, but I'm Canadian, so I have a few setbacks... The only thing I could find was the International College Program...

Do you know if this internship program takes in Canadians? I am majoring in computer sci. / IT (I'm in my third year and still have a full year left), so an opportunity like the one you got would be absolutely AMAZING!

Any info and tips you have would be greatly appreciated!

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it!

 

[pinch]

Awesome
I'm applying soon ish for Storyboarding this summer 2009.

If you can let me know of anymore of your experiences/if you have a blog about it, etc then please let me know - I'm very interested!

Was it hard getting accomodation? Was your accomodation nearby to the studios? Was it pricey?

Did you make much money out of the experience or did you just break even?

I'm in the UK currently, so if I get in it's going to be verrry scaryyyy, wish me luck x

 

[joepic]

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it!

Thanks!

Good luck to you too!

 

[mdewater]

Hi everybody!

I was really happy to find this post! I'm a freshman in college right now and so I'm hoping to apply to the Animation Studio Associate Program in a few years. I've done as much research as I possibly can... searching through pages and pages of google searches about everything Disney, Disney animation, Disney internships... I'm pretty much at the point where all I have left to do is to try and actually contact people about their experiences and hopefully learn something from them.

Is there anyone here who has already done the animation program? If so is there any way anyone could give some portfolio examples? And when you're accepted, do they tell you what they especially liked? Or if you're rejected, do they give you any tips for applying again? Basically any info would be greatly appreciated. And to all you who are planning on applying, keep us all updated!! I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I would like to know how it goes every step of the way!

Thanks and good luck to everyone applying!

 

[ibaw]

I have been looking for information about this program and am so glad I found this post. I have applied for the Summer 2009 program and was wondering if anyone else has.... (i am having a hard time getting information and wanted to know if anyone else was in the same boat!!)

Thanks!!!!

 

[evelynr0se]

hey spbink,

I'm doing a PI right now too! It's in Corporate, so it's a full-year one, and I'm applying to Studios. I had one interview already, and my recruiter's looking for more for me!

I'm doing Credit & Collections in downtown Glendale, so it's not as glamorous but there are some cool perks too - like the Disney Family Holiday party!

I can help answer questions about Corporate internships

When did you work there? What are your plans for the future?

 

[soundimagineer]

I have been looking for information about this program and am so glad I found this post. I have applied for the Summer 2009 program and was wondering if anyone else has.... (i am having a hard time getting information and wanted to know if anyone else was in the same boat!!)

Thanks!!!!

I've applied for this summer as well in post production. I also found that finding information was ridiculously hard, and finally just made some phone calls and got in touch with the right people.

I got a voicemail today from the recruiter of walt disney studios in regards to my resume!! hopefully I'll get back in touch with her tomorrow. I hope it means interview, but we'll see.

 

[soundimagineer]

spbink,

if its ok, i would like to ask your first name. Gina, the recruiter for the studios, is curious to know who you are. i told her i found out all my information from this post, and she said she knew most of you guys. you don't have to post it on this board if you don't want to, but you can PM it to me.

thanks again for all your help and i'll keep everyone posted on how my interview goes.

 

[ibaw]

hey soundimagineer

i was wondering if you got any more information... or if you had an interview and if so how did it go?!?!?!?!

I am still curious about what they are saying about interviews and when they will make the decision. I am currently a cast member in Orlando and need to know what to tell my managers about the summer......

 

[soundimagineer]

hey soundimagineer

i was wondering if you got any more information... or if you had an interview and if so how did it go?!?!?!?!

I am still curious about what they are saying about interviews and when they will make the decision. I am currently a cast member in Orlando and need to know what to tell my managers about the summer......

Well, they are supposed to call me the beginning of this week (so I would assume tomorrow or wednesday) to schedule my phone interview with the department that is interested. As soon as it happens I will let you guys know how it went. I haven't really heard any more general information. I had my initial interview that was just the recruiter asking me basic questions like why I wanted to work for the company (i mean, honestly..) and where I found out about it (I said here ). Basics about my experiences with the software I listed on my resume, and generally chatted a little. They had me fill out all that legal paperwork already and an employee registration or application or some kind of form like that. I've been on set all day today for a student film I was working on, and I was so nervous they would call. Then I realized it was president's day and most likely not in the office.

I heard that they make their final decisions in March? Don't hold me to that, I could be wrong, but I want to say I heard that. It makes me a little nervous because I'm weird about not planning everything far enough ahead, so I'm eager to look for housing, but I don't want to jinx myself and find out I don't get it once I get everything organized. But I've been in close touch with the recruiter. We email like once every two days.

I don't know if any of that helped. But I'll keep posting when I find out new things that may be helpful. And I'll rush to the boards as soon as I get off the phone with them this week! cross your fingers!

 

[MAH4546]

I don't remember there was a citizenship requirement, just the requirement of returning to the school in the fall. It never hurts to apply - better to try, even if it turns out to be a problem, than to not apply and have it not turn out to be a problem.

joepic, good luck! I'm pretty much in the same boat, but a bit down the line (I just graduated). It's a great experience. I definitely recommend applying for it!

To apply for the program, like most any paid job in the United States, somebody must be able to legally work in the U.S. There is no citizenship requirement, but to get the appropriate work visa, a student must either have a green card or be enrolled at a U.S. school.

For somebody who lives outside the United States and does not go to school in the U.S., the program is unavailable to them, because Disney will not sponsor a work visa for a summer program. Although Disney (and Pixar, which has a separate summer program) is one of the nice ones, because they will take international students that can get the proper work requirements on their own. Most studios require U.S. citizenship.

Like all major studios in Los Angeles (I work at a studio, albeit not Disney, that runs a similar program for graduate and undergraduates), Disney is extremely snobbish about schools. Typically Disney want students from universities ranked in the top 25 (Harvard, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, etc.) or local Southern California-area schools with strong programs in relevant fields (i.e. Loyola Marymount for animaton; Southwestern Law for legal). It's unfortunate that the name of the degree matters so much, but it does.

 

[pinch]

Arghhhh the deadline is in a month tomorrow, and I still have tonnes of work to do and the work deadline for my degree stuff is the SAME DAY! What are the pigging chances?

I've also got to figure out this VISA business. I'm in the UK so I'd need to get some sort of intern visa/summer visa but it's $131 us dollars (£90 to me! not cheap!) but it seems I have to have this already before I even apply!
What if I don't get it? Then surely I've wasted £90? Ahhhhhh..
I've emailed the submissions people so hopefully they'll get back to me.

If anyone's got any suggestions on this topic then please please let me know as soon as you can, cheers

If anyone knows any email addresses that are going to get me an answer faster then please let me know too. I wouldn't mind a phone number but then it would cost me a heck of a lot since I'm not in the U.S.

 

[MAH4546]

Arghhhh the deadline is in a month tomorrow, and I still have tonnes of work to do and the work deadline for my degree stuff is the SAME DAY! What are the pigging chances?

I've also got to figure out this VISA business. I'm in the UK so I'd need to get some sort of intern visa/summer visa but it's $131 us dollars (£90 to me! not cheap!) but it seems I have to have this already before I even apply!
What if I don't get it? Then surely I've wasted £90? Ahhhhhh..
I've emailed the submissions people so hopefully they'll get back to me.

If anyone's got any suggestions on this topic then please please let me know as soon as you can, cheers

If anyone knows any email addresses that are going to get me an answer faster then please let me know too. I wouldn't mind a phone number but then it would cost me a heck of a lot since I'm not in the U.S.

It's expensive, but call Disney on the phone and ask if they accept students with a valid J1 Visa. The majority (99%+) of studioss will not accept J1 Visas for summer interns.

 

[pinch]

It's expensive, but call Disney on the phone and ask if they accept students with a valid J1 Visa. The majority (99%+) of studioss will not accept J1 Visas for summer interns.

Are J1's cheaper though?

It's just my problem is do I have to purchase a Visa before I've even got a place confirmed? I don't want to waste my money.

 

[MAH4546]

Are J1's cheaper though?

It's just my problem is do I have to purchase a Visa before I've even got a place confirmed? I don't want to waste my money.

J1 is the only kind of visa that will allow you to work a summer internship in the U.S. as a foreign student.

Check this out:
http://www.interexchange.org/internship/index.html

Unfortunately, you will most likely have risk putting down some money before getting an offer.

However, again, contact Disney and find out. Some studios do not care, and are willing to hire before the visa is received. However, that also means you should be applying sooner rather than later to give you a longer window to apply and receive a J1.

 

[pinch]

J1 is the only kind of visa that will allow you to work a summer internship in the U.S. as a foreign student.

Check this out:
(URL)

Unfortunately, you will most likely have risk putting down some money before getting an offer.

However, again, contact Disney and find out. Some studios do not care, and are willing to hire before the visa is received. However, that also means you should be applying sooner rather than later to give you a longer window to apply and receive a J1.

Thanks for the information

I emailed Disney Submissions and I'm still waiting on a response from them, but in the mean time I phoned up the American Embassy and they said that I cannot apply for an internship visa without confirmation of a place and the correct documentations to show them.

So that's a little clearer, so I suppose Disney will just have to accept my forms without the visa no's for now.

 

[evelynr0se]

Like all major studios in Los Angeles (I work at a studio, albeit not Disney, that runs a similar program for graduate and undergraduates), Disney is extremely snobbish about schools. Typically Disney want students from universities ranked in the top 25 (Harvard, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, etc.) or local Southern California-area schools with strong programs in relevant fields (i.e. Loyola Marymount for animaton; Southwestern Law for legal). It's unfortunate that the name of the degree matters so much, but it does.

What do you mean? I'm from UCLA, and there are a lot of interns from USC, and I find most of the people I know are from non-top 25 schools such as CSUN and Cal Poly's. I'm not disputing this - I'm just wondering what your source was, because I'm really inclined to believe this but I haven't found it to be true.

 

[MAH4546]

What do you mean? I'm from UCLA, and there are a lot of interns from USC, and I find most of the people I know are from non-top 25 schools such as CSUN and Cal Poly's. I'm not disputing this - I'm just wondering what your source was, because I'm really inclined to believe this but I haven't found it to be true.

CSUN and the Cal Poly's are local area schools, which I included.

I work at a studio (not Disney). We usually throw away resumes that are not from Top-25 schools or from within California.