Hi gang First of all I'd like to say this is a great site - very useful. I do have a couple of questions though - I think I know some of the answers but would love some confirmation from people in the know please! 1) I'm 26, a UK national and interested in working at Disney. Is the only program open to me the cultural one, i.e. working in the UK pavillion at Epcot? Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I would love to (say, for instance) drive one of Animal Kingdom's safari 4x4s. Is that for American citizens only? 2) At the end of the program do you just go home, or is there any way at all for someone (particularly a UK national) to extend their time or become a permanent US citizen? Does Disney deal in green cards or is it absolutely game over at the end? 3) The thought of being a Jaws ride employee at Universal Studios also appeals ("Hi, I'm Storm and welcome to my boat. Oh no, a shark!"). I know this is a Disney program board but has anyone from the UK - or other countries - looked at this? Can it be done at other parks/places? Finally, is there anything else I can look at to get a job at the parks? I'm definitely going to apply for the cultural program but would really like to be a permanent parker. I spoke to a nice English lady on my way out of Epcot who had become permanent by being a nanny for ten years - I'm not quite sure that's the route for me though...
1) The visa you get on the cultural program is so strict that you may only work in the UK pavilion. You can apply for the collegeprogram however, but then you'll have to be a student at a school who has that option. But you have no guarnatee of getting to work on one specific work location though. 2) You can't extend your time there. You get a 13 month visa and you have to go home after that. Disney does not sponsor any greencards or anything. 3) The only way you might be able to work there is if you're there on a student visa, because then you're allowed to work som on the side of the schoolwork.
1. Tinktingeling is correct that the visa only allows you to work in the UK pavilion, you dont have to be a student to go on the college program, i know that sounds random, but im living proof of that, not a student and i did the college program in 2006 at MK 2. The extension thing is actually incorrect, you can apply for a extension but there is no guarantee that you will get it. I know someone who ended up working in a pavilion for 15 months.
But the majority of the time, you do have to be a student to do the college program. At least you do for the most of the programs they have now. I've only heard of a couple of non students doing a college program and that was in special circumstances.
Ok Ok!!! I was just curious, no need to get all defensive. Anyway, at the moment, for the majority of college programs, you have to have the correct requirements, and most say that you need to be in education or just graduated. Of course, there is no harm in asking Yummy if you'd be allowed to do a college program.
