Today I pressed that all important ‘Submit’ button! I am finally and officially in the pool of applicants… and now I can’t change my application *gulp* I just hope it’s all correct – I did quadruple check just to be absolutely certain that nothing was awry. But now the hard part begins – the long wait to find out if I get invited to a group interview – best get to doing some research on some of the questions I might get asked!
TTFN, friends!
“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it.” – Katherine Whitehorn
So today, it happened:
I’ve officially started my application to be a Disney Cultural Representative! Ahh!
I’m very excited and nervous. The reason I haven’t quite finished it yet is because, well, it wasn’t quite as simple as I thought it was going to be. I thought this would be like any other job application; fill in the blanks, wait for a bit, get an interview, get offered the job (or get rejected). Not Disney. Of course there is the usual – name, address, work experience, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera… however there’s a few that are slightly more difficult to answer.
Why do you value cultural exchange and interaction? (1500 words maximum)
What is your motivation for this program? (1500 words maximum)
Final comments (1500 words maximum)
Uhh… okay? What does this even mean! Luckily I’d already seen a few YouTube videos from my favourite CRP blogger Adam Hattan which have helped me thus far; one that helps you with the application itself, and the other helping you prepare your CV and cover letter:
After watching these I was still a little confused as to what exactly I was supposed to write, but after a bit of digging around the depths of the YouTube community I found a video by a lovely chap called Joe Stapleton. He reads out what he wrote for his application and explains why he wrote what he wrote, and it really helped me think of how to make my application personal to me but also stand out amongst the sea of other applications that are no doubt flooding in!
Right. Now I’m a little more clued up on the matter, I suppose I’d better go and draft my answers!
“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss, but that it is too low and we reach it.” – Michelangelo
I saw on another blog a ‘Disney Cultural Representative Bucket List’ and thought I’d have a go at writing my own! This might have its own page eventually – if anyone has anything else that they think I might like to do or has done themselves and knows it is an experience not to be missed, please leave a comment below and I’ll add it on!
Disney Things!
Non-Disney Things!
“The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.” – Swedish Proverb
Having never done something like this before, not knowing what to expect has been my biggest concern. For me, it’s like going out on stage not knowing any of my lines – which is why I’ve been doing a lot of research over the past week to help prepare me. Not only for what to expect when I (hopefully) get to Orlando, but also how to go about writing my application, and what kind of questions to expect when you reach interview stage.
I stumbled upon this youtuber called Adam Hattan recently, and he has an entire channel dedicated to the process of becoming a Cultural Representative. I found it very helpful but also entertaining, so his videos are definitely worth a look – especially if you’re applying from the UK, but he also has some good advice for those applying from other countries. Right now I’m only looking at the first two videos to try and get a feel for what the role will be like before I apply.
Introduction To The CRP
I have also found it helpful and exciting to watch some of the videos from the Disney International Programs own youtube channel – I’ve already seen what the accommodation is like and what other people from all over the world have enjoyed doing most whilst living and working in Florida… however I do have a soft spot for the videos at the UK pavillion! My favourite so far is the ‘Day in the Life’ of Scott from Wales.
In that video he also mentions the ‘Night of Stars’ talent contest, which I will definitely be auditioning for if I get over there!
“When travelling life’s journey, it’s good to have a friends hand to hold on to.” – Unknown
I mentioned in my previous post that I had a friend who was a little bit more into Disney than your average person. I was speaking to her today and the CRP cropped up in conversation, and it turns out she’d been looking at doing it too! So we’ve decided to apply together – everyone meet Lauren!
She does my performing arts course with me at the moment and has recently landed a job as a Disney Princess going off to childrens birthday parties (Fate?). Now I’m even more excited to apply because at least I wont be doing it all alone! Fingers crossed, if everything goes to plan, I would love to end up living with her and maybe a few other roommates from around the world in Orlando – my perfect scenario!
This is all getting very exciting very quickly…
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
Hello!
My name is Hannah, although I’m guessing you probably gathered that from the title of this blog.
Here’s a bit about me: I’m the grand old age of nineteen and live in a sleepy village in England with my parents and a dog. I study performing arts at my local college and work weekends to tie myself over money-wise. I lead a regular, normal life.
However, I don’t want to be ‘regular’ or ‘normal’.
I’ve been lucky enough to take two holidays to Walt Disney World, Florida in my lifetime – once when I was just five, and the other eleven years later when I was sixteen. I have very few memories of the first trip – but the second, however, I have plenty… it truly was the holiday of a lifetime! I remember speaking to a cast member selling souvenirs saying how much fun it must be to work there, which is how I was first told about the Cultural Representative Program (CRP). Seeing as you have to be eighteen to even be eligible I dismissed the idea for a few years, however after leaving school with good grades but struggling at college I decided to apply at seventeen. I had high hopes as I would be eighteen by the time I flew out, however I did not get accepted (Boo!). So again, the idea of working for the mouse took a back burner – I switched colleges and courses and am now finishing my first year of a two year BTEC Performing Arts course (Yay!). While on this course I made a friend who, how shall I say, enjoys everything Disney far more than your average person. She made a comment about how amazing it must be to work there, which brought the idea back into my head… so I did some research and brought myself back up to date on all the information I need to know.
Applications open on the 1st July.
What could go wrong?
Hannah Does Disney 