Disney College Program Flamingo Crossings Village – How do we move in?
Have you ever wondered what being a Disney College Program participant in 2023 is like? We were invited to get a glimpse of a day in the life of a Disney College Program student to see what it’s like to live at their Flamingo Crossings Village, and it seems pretty nice.
Walt Disney World invited us to tour Flamingo Crossings Village’s Disney College Program facility. During our tour, we could see participants’ living, learning, and working environments. In addition, we viewed the resort-style amenities at Flamingo Crossings Village, which is owned and operated by American Campus Communities. This experience qualifies as the first media tour of the community since it first opened in 2020.
We were impressed with many aspects of this campus. In fact, some on the tour even pondered how this campus outranked their current housing and community situation.
Disney College Program
The Disney College Program has existed for more than 40 years. College students join Walt Disney World cast members to begin their #DisneyCastLife journeys, which involves working in the Walt Disney World theme parks, resorts, and beyond. This unique internship program sometimes leads to young people eventually becoming Disney leaders.
Disney College Program participants are chosen to work in a variety of frontline roles across Disney’s theme parks and resorts, where they gain transferable new skills and get hands-on experience making magic for the millions of guests who visit Walt Disney World each year.
“If you’re a college student or recent grad looking to build your resume and start your career in a meaningful way, the Disney College Program is a fantastic option for you to consider,” said Betsy Boston, director, Disney Programs & Experiences. “Our participants network with professionals in their industry, develop their skillsets, and meet friends from around the world, all while working at one of the world’s most respected and beloved tourism destinations.”
As part of the program, Disney College Program participants learn skills that can be applied to almost any industry or workplace. During their time with Disney, students may make lifelong friends from around the world, network with professionals in their industry, and attend various educational and social events. This experience can kickstart the career of their dreams.
Disney College Program Facility Tour
Our visit started in one of the conference room areas used at the Flamingo Crossing Village campus.
After receiving staff introductions and essential background information about the program and facility, it quickly became evident the leadership feels very passionate about the Disney College Program.
The program’s creation coincided with the opening of the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World. Just like Epcot, the program has undergone many changes over the years, and the Flamingo Crossings Village is a big one as Disney College Program participants no longer live at Chatham Square, Vista Way, The Commons, or Patterson Court.
The program focuses on three main components of the experience: Living, Learning, and Earning. Combined they steer the direction of this ever-growing development program.
Disney Learning
The Disney College Program clearly involves learning. The program functions as an educational internship and qualifies as college credit for many undergraduate institutions. The experience also maintains accreditation from the American Council on Education, which must be renewed every three years, so this counts as a serious educational environment.
With the new facility at Flamingo Crossings Village, which opened in 2020 in partnership with American Campus Communities, the “learning” aspect permeates the campus. Based on discussions with Disney College Program participants from former days, “Learning” takes a more prominent place now, with special classroom sessions allowing participants to interact with leaders in their desired future career paths.
The student’s roles at Disney theme parks and resorts also teach valuable transferable skills. This gives participants hands-on experience while working for one of the world’s most admired media and entertainment companies. The program can help people get their foot in the door at Disney, the program will provide the tools and experience needed for a successful career at another company.
Outside of work, participants can continue their professional development with experiences tailored to help them learn, grow, and network with experts in their field. Participants make valuable connections through events like conversations with Disney Legends and industry leaders and expo-style career showcases and go behind the scenes to learn how to be successful in a variety of opportunities as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
Disney Living
One of the most unique parts of the Disney College Program experience is the opportunity to live at Flamingo Crossings Village, a newly completed community, purpose-built for participants. There, they can live in upscale apartment-style residences and take advantage of the social and professional experiences available to them.
Owned and operated by American Campus Communities, this community features special amenities like resort-style pools, a 12,500-square-foot fitness center, expansive Community Centers, and educational facilities. Participants will also find touches of Disney magic sprinkled throughout the community.
Disney College Campus
Like a college campus, the Flamingo Crossings Village facility stands as a massive improvement over the former “legacy” facilities that Disney College Program participants had for their living space.
Previously, the living areas functioned similarly to a standard apartment complex. In contrast, at Flamingo Crossings Village campus, things have changed. The community aspect fills the entire on-campus experience. The complete facility also involves secure entrances and exits for the safety of the residents (we were not allowed to wander around without a host).
The main common areas includes a covered breezeway. On the day we visited, new residents had just arrived, and they (and others) enjoyed free slices of Dominos pizza to celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day. Apprentice Hall sits on one side of the breezeway, where we met with Disney cast members; on the other side is the Community Center area.
As Disney College Program alumni stated, this is a beautiful new, fresh environment for the current crop of program participants. One could even sense a tinge of jealousy from former Disney College Program media members in our group when comparing the existing campus to where they lived during the program.
Speaking of reasons to be jealous, the apartments now display excellent planning and intent. Residents can purchase places to park their cars in convenient areas that do not hinder the community’s view or image. If participants do not have their own vehicle, the facility provides transportation to the parks and resorts of Walt Disney World and Disney Springs. In addition, bus services take residents to several nearby shopping options, like Target in the Flamingo Crossing area. A well-designed area for pick-up and drop-off zones exists for those using rideshare.
Apartment Living at the Disney College Program Campus
The apartments themselves impressed us the most. The complex reflects planning for students on an educational journey. Instead of cramming four people into one bedroom as often happened in the former legacy facilities, only two are assigned to a bedroom here. They can even opt to pay a bit more per month and have a private bedroom if available.
Each person gets their own closet, dresser, sink area, and cabinet in the bathroom. Each apartment comes furnished with a smart television and internet access. In the bathrooms, everyone gets their own sink area and cabinet.
In the kitchen area, each participant receives their own cabinet for their food. These apartments even come with a clothes washer and dryer, a luxury that matters to those of us who have been shopping for an apartment in the Orlando area.
Overall, the apartments show why Disney partnered with American Campus Communities for this project. Sure, the experience may not always be a walk in the theme park, but the living arrangements give participants a safe place to unwind and be themselves in comfort.
For the participants’ health concerns, an AdventHealth facility is located nearby. Also, on-site counseling happens several days a week at the Flamingo Crossing Village facility.
Disney Earning
The earning component of the program takes a few forms. Disney College Program participants will be working at Disney World and receiving a paycheck. Yet, that earning variable does not count as the major one.
Many participants enter the Disney workforce as a career, but even if they don’t join the Disney team, they develop skills to enhance their earning potential for the rest of their lives.
In addition to the College Program, Disney offers programs for international students and culinary students as well as internships, where college students and recent graduates can work side-by-side with industry leaders in their field of study and build upon the skills they’ve learned in the classroom.
Do you want to know how to be part of the Disney College Program? The recruitment process for the Disney College Program has begun for arrival dates in the first few months of 2024. Departure dates will start no earlier than May 2024. Of course, individual program lengths vary.
For more information about the Disney College Plan, please check the official Disney Programs website.
