Are you saying that i should decline the DCP because of it not leading me to my goals? Disney has never responded to any of the applications i've sent.. i just don't know what to do. I am already having difficulty as it is getting a job here in NYC and i've been building my portfolio during the mean time... I just don't know what to do.
Honestly, this isn't the kind of question with one simple answer IMO. On the one hand, while I'm sure there are quite a few examples of current CMs (in Imagineering and various other professional fields) who had no past experience w/ the company at the time of hiring. But based on what I've been told by professional recruiting, and at all of the TWDC networking events I've attended, Disney absolutely prioritizes former CMs and hires from within the company when possible. Nearly all of my superiors (essentially, the upper management CMs who ran the various lands where I worked) began working menial, low-income jobs like Custodial/QSFB/Merchandise. I do 100% believe that you will give yourself a leg up and make yourself a more attractive hire to the company if you complete a CP (and triply so if you complete an actual Professional Internship in your field). And as I mentioned, there are tons of networking opportunities on the program, which exist specifically so that you can speak with Disney professionals and higher-ups about your future goals. You would be surprised how easy it is to make useful connections within the company, and adding these people on LinkedIn and keeping in touch with them can lead to a huge pay-off going forward.
TL;DR I do think the DCP will increase your chances of a future hire–but, on the other hand, as others have said, it will do...literally nothing in terms of preparing you for your actual field of study. You're going to be working in a guest service role for which you'll be paid very little. And in order to do this, you're going to need to leave your job and apartment at home–I'm also going to school in NYC (just about to complete my Undergrad) so I completely understand how significant that is. It's completely reasonable not to want to uproot your life, and there are a lot of different factors to consider...Are you confident that you can either return to your job or successfully land a new job and apartment by the time you head home? Keep in mind that you have 5-6 months to apply to jobs back at NYC during your stay in Florida. And as someone else has said, the cost of living in Florida is MUCH cheaper than the cost of living in NY. I paid about $93 a week for my apartment as a CP (and this was less than a year ago) so while the DCP won't net you much money, it won't lose you much money either.
I would say the bottom line is...you
can get a job with Disney without having completed a CP/PI, but it will be much more difficult to do so. You're going to need to make
sure that your resume, CV and portfolio stand out from other candidates'. Just as importantly...if you don't do a CP, find a way to connect with CMs if at all possible. I'm not saying Disney doesn't care about your skills, but TWDC reviews an absurd number of applications each year, and many of those people are also extremely qualified, and either have a lot of experience in their field and/or experience with Disney. Also, (again, as some others have already said), you might consider just applying to work (in your field) with some different companies, and keep Disney in mind for a later point in your life.
If you do decide to do the program, NETWORK. That's going to matter more than your everyday work (as long as you keep a relatively clean record card), since this is how you can move on to a Professional Internship. IMO if you can snag a PI (some of which only hire DCP alumni, and ALL of which give preference to DCP alumni), you're practically in. It's obviously no guarantee, but I know several PIs who were hired in the same role as soon as their internships ended.
I know this is a LOT, but hopefully I gave some different perspectives...It's a hard decision to make, so I sympathize.
