Disney Internships – An Overview

Disney internships are offered to students pursuing degrees in all disciplines. That means regardless of your major, you can intern for one of the most fun places to work in the world. Disney internships not only offer you an opportunity to contribute to a world famous company, but also gain valuable experience that will help start your career.

Disney, the world’s largest media conglomerate offers internship programs that allow you to work at corporate, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Walt Disney Studios and Disney Consumer Products and other divisions. Disney Professional Internships with Corporate lets you get an opportunity to learn from the seasoned professionals in a wide range of settings.  As an intern, you will need to work along with the professionals to solve real world business issues and imaginative and technology projects.

Disney offers paid internships that are year-round, fall, spring, or summer internship programs, and can be part-time or full-time. Internships are offered in various fields, including journalism, marketing, finance and accounting, technology, HR, broadcast or technical operations and creative works.

Types of Disney Internships

• Walt Disney Studios Summer Internships - Summer internship programs are offered by the Walt Disney Studios to undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an accredited college or university. In order to become eligible for this internship, you should have completed your junior year as an undergraduate or first year as an MBA student or completed your first or second year of any 3-year graduate program like a law program. As an intern, you will need to work full-time for 12 weeks. Disney internships are open in Glendale and Burbank near Los Angeles, and New York.

• Agricultural Sciences Internships - Walt Disney offers agricultural sciences internship program to college students and recent graduates with majors in agriculture, horticulture, biology, plant science, aqua culture, entomology, food science, aquatic biology or other related field. In order to become eligible, you need to have excellent verbal communication skills.  The program lasts for six months. As an intern, you will need to spend considerable amount of time in making interactive and informative tours around Walt Disney facilities. You will need to attend training sessions, meetings and classes. Your Disney internship duties depend on your discipline.

• If you are an aquaculture student or recent graduate, you will need to monitor water quality and filtration systems in the aquaculture facility, provide assistance in diagnosing and controlling diseases and raise considerable amount of fish for the Walt Disney World restaurants.
• Entomology students and/or recent graduates will need to take part in the integrated pest management program and assist in rearing and maintaining insect colonies.
• Disney internships for students and recent graduates in biotechnology major will need to maintain a facility producing tissue cultures and assist in culturing a wide range of plants.
• Internships for plant science major students and recent graduates requires the interns to assist in seeding, transplanting, irrigating and pruning plants and harvesting produce for Disney restaurants.

• DTSS (Disney Technology Solutions and Services) Summer Internship for Computer Science Students - Walt Disney offers summer internship program to computer science students, which allow the intern to work with the DTSS mobile and connected devices team. The program is open to outstanding software engineering candidates who have passion for new technology.  Knowledge and experience in Java, Mobile iO5, HTML5 or Android and solid understanding of web architecture are the main qualifications required for eligibility. The internship program requires you to research on new project areas, write codes, develop proof concepts and contribute to core services. You need to work collaboratively with other team members to accomplish the allotted work.

• Management Internships -Disney internships in management are offered to undergraduate and graduate students. They are available in various areas, including food and beverage, park operations, hotel lodging operations and retail operations.

• Theme Park and Resorts Internships - Disney Theme Parks and Resorts internships provide you with an opportunity to get real world experience implement theories into practice in your field of study and enhance your knowledge beyond the classroom.

• Industrial Engineering Internships - Industrial engineering internship is offered by Disney parks and resorts to students who are currently enrolled in a four year Industrial engineering program or some other relevant program. Your duties and responsibilities as an intern include participating in industrial engineering analysis projects, ensuring that appropriate measurements, tools, methodology and quantitative techniques are applied in projects and working along with other team members on projects that need interfacing at all levels.

• Mechanical Engineering Internships - Disneyland resorts offer mechanical engineering internship program to students who are currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program. The interns are expected to take part in engineering projects, providing assistance to engineering teams by conducting field investigations, performing research and contacting vendors. They may also need to generate 3D models, drawings, engineering calculations and analysis.

• Disney Creative Artists and Designers Internships - Disney internships are offered in creative and design to students enrolling in a degree program with majors, such as graphic design, marketing and creative problem solving. The creative and design intern is expected to participate in graphic designing and assist product development team or Disney design group creative team.

• Disney Animal Programs Internships - Disney Animal Programs internships are offered to students with majors in Zoology, Biology, Veterinary Science, Plant Science and Animal Husbandry. This Disney internship program offers you an opportunity to gain practical experience with state of the art technology in your field of study. In addition, you can get a chance to work with experienced aquarium, zoo, plant science, and entomology professionals.

• Disney Sports Internship - Disney internships in sports are offered to graduate students and they last for 12 months. The internships offer a chance to work at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and sports business carried out at the World Disney World Resort. Students currently enrolled into a Master or Doctoral degree program at an accredited college or university with the G.P.A of at least 3.0 can apply for sports internships. Undergraduates may be considered in some cases. Students are selected on the basis of recommendation from their college or university. They also need to appear for personal interviews conducted by the representatives of Disney Sports. Generally, the internship recruitment starts in January. For Disney internships starting in January, you can apply starting October the year before.

• Disney sports internships are available in many areas:

• Box Office Operations - Internship in box office operations lasts for 12 months. As an intern, you will need to assist the team in developing promotions and special offers, processing season ticket orders for professional sports events and developing control processes for carrying out remote sales. You will need to oversee the day to day operations of the box office and registering onsite and offsite sporting events, which come to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
• Sports Finance - Sports Finance internships are offered during the summer. The length of this Disney internship program is 12 months.  Intern’s duties and responsibilities include determining the financial results of premier sporting events, developing business cases and new business opportunities available to the ESPN World of Sports Complex. Also, interns will help develop monthly forecasts for various lines of business and develop financial modeling spreadsheets and generating financial reports.
• Sports Marketing and Technology Internships - This internship program provides you with an opportunity to learn how to market sports events via various approaches, including direct marketing to athletes, direct marketing to consumer spectator and group marketing to parents and coaches. As an intern, you will need to participate in the development of marketing campaigns, development of print and digital advertising, strategic planning and development of social media campaigns.
• Sports Public Relations – This Disney internship program offers an opportunity to gain practical knowledge about practicing sports public relations on a national level. You will need to develop public relations plans, plan strategically to promote youth and professional athletes and sports event and serve as project manager of public relations on various events.
• Sports Development Internships - Sports development interns will take part in developing proposals for client presentations and internal presentations. As an intern, you will be required to assist in developing sales and marketing plan and developing the event game plan. You will also need to provide assistance to marketing professionals in functional areas, such as event operations, sports food and beverage and so on.
• Disney Sports Sales Internship - Disney sales internship will require you to assist Disney sales team in researching, reporting and developing sales plans. You will need to assist with VIP program, which include creating event schedule, booking travel accommodation and VIP receptions. You will be required to support sales managers by monitoring and maintain weekly sales reports.
• Disney Theatrical Internship - Disney theatrical internships are offered to students who are currently enrolled into an accredited college or university with majors in theatrical or performing arts. The internships are available in various areas, including casting, guest services, tour marketing, marketing, publicity, finance, dramaturgy and creative development. As an intern, you will need to work 20 hours in a week. Spring, fall and summer internships are available to theatrical students and they are allowed to choose the type of internship they want.
• Disney Channel Internship - The ABC Television Group offer Disney internships to undergraduate students in the field of marketing and promotions.  As a Disney channel marketing intern, you will get a chance to observe and take part in successful marketing campaigns. The internship program will help you gain experience in print advertising, on-air promotion and radio events. You may be expected to do research on screenings and collect ideas for promotions.
  • Radio Disney promotions internships are also available. Typical duties of an intern include supporting the Radio Disney Marketing team, assisting in executing local promotion planning, organizing assets library and updating or maintaining department master calendars.
  • As a Disney channel Intern, you will need to do the allotted duties for around 40 hours in a week.

• ABC News Internships - Disney ABC News internship is offered to undergraduate students who are enrolled in an accredited school and have completed their sophomore year. They should be available for at least 16 hours in a week for work. Students having extraordinary communication skills and interest in broadcasting are considered for selection.

• ABC Digital Content Internships - Digital content summer internship is offered by the Disney ABC TV group.  Though any undergraduate students can apply for this internship program, preference is given to students with majors in journalism, English, theater and history. As a digital content intern, you will need to work with the content team, take part in brainstorming sessions, conduct research and produce photos, videos, blogs and other relevant content. You will also need to do research various competitive websites to identify the trends in web and mobile web platforms. The internship program requires you to work for 40 hours in a week.

• Digital Media Products and Platform Internship - The ABC TV group offers Disney internships in digital media product and platform area to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled at an accredited school or university and with at least 3.0 GPA. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and understanding of the video experience on modern devices are must. As an intern, you will need to work with the product and video distribution teams to come up with ideas and implement enhancements to improve the digital viewing experience.

Typical Salary of Disney Internships

Disney internships in sports typically receive $1,300 per month. For other internship programs, undergraduate students generally receive $15+ an hour with graduates getting a little more.

Benefits of Disney Internships

Disney internships provide you with a chance to enhance your education, make new friends and to learn from experienced professionals.  You can gain practical experience and cultivate necessary skills to build a successful career. You can develop a network with industry leaders, which can help you launch a lucrative career in the future. Disney offers some of the best training that includes seminars, workshops, and other special events.

On top of that, all of the internships are paid. You can also get free access to Disney Theme Parks. Some programs may also include housing or relocation assistance. Some Disney internships allow you to get dining discounts and discounts on merchandise and Disney-owned hotels.

Disney is a great place to start your career so apply today!

For more information on Disney internships, please visit their website: Disney Careers.

You may also be interested in these internships:

ESPN Internships

ABC Internships

CNN Internships

 

by Diane Barlow