Final Interview - CEP #3

Before the final interview, there were quite a few things to do first. For starters, we had to wait for an email from Disney with a link to schedule our interview time. This came through at about 6am but luckily I’m quite an earlybird so when I woke up all the slots were still available and I could get my first choice.

After this, we had to fill out a Role Checklist where they detailed all the different positions available with a brief video and responsibilities list. You had to rank them either High, Moderate, Low or No Interest, but I really wouldn’t advise putting that for any of them as I'm told Disney love flexibility. I put High for pretty much everything other than lifeguarding, recreation and hotel work, but my top choices were definitely merchandising or attractions.

You then also had to obtain a Proof of Student Status form from your university to confirm you were enrolled in a course and so eligible for the program. Initially they wanted you to upload this to a site called ‘Disney Docs’ along with your passport and basic details, but then an email came through asking us to bring it to the final interview for checking by Yummy Jobs. This all did honestly seem like a lot of work to do if nothing was going to come of it in the end, but I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best – it would all be worth it eventually!

Final interviews took place towards the start of November at Disney HQ located in Hammersmith. The building itself is very cool, with a huge Mickey Mouse in the lobby and Disney Channel playing on screens above reception. You got given a little paper pass upon arrival and then were taken upstairs when it was your slot time where the Yummy Jobs team was waiting. They checked our passports and student status form, and then measured those of us who were willing for character performer – I figured I may as well, and my height apparently is suited to Pluto!

We then tried to just chat and calm ourselves down before the interviewers came over. They’d all flown over especially from Florida, and I was called up first by the male interviewer and taken into a side room. He was so chirpy and friendly that I instantly relaxed, and the whole thing only lasted about 10 minutes. After some basic questions about if I had tattoos, if I’d lived away from home before, and if I’d be fine with cash handling and heavy lifting, the real questions came:

• Why do you want to do the program?

• What is your top role choice and why?

• If you can’t have your top role, what would you have next?

• How will your previous work experience help you?

• How would you cope with living with other people?

• How would you cope with the Florida sun?

There were a couple of others, but it was fairly straightforward and he said he was very impressed with all my past experience. He kept talking like I was already accepted onto the program which was a little off-putting but also exciting, and he also told me a little about Disney’s “Four Keys” which apparently I’ll hear a lot of once I’m out there!

I then asked him a couple questions about his role and about Disney Housing before he said we would hear probably in the week before Christmas but no later than the beginning of January – which seemed like a long time!

I then collected my stuff, handed in my pass, and let out a big sigh of relief, prepared to bide my time until that fated email would come…