Disney Alumni Association

Something really cool that you can join (for free!!) after you complete your program is something called the Disney Alumni Association. This is basically a group that you apply to to join. To get accepted you only need to provide your proof of program completion! I think I just had to provide the basic info (name, program dates, etc.) and maybe my perner number? Sorry I don't remember! I just know it wasn't really an application, just proof you completed a program.

As soon as you're accepted you can join the alumni Facebook group and they send you a alumni package! Which is AWESOME because you get a free shirt (shown below), a car decal, and one or two other little "Disney Alumni Association" trinkets (such as stickers and stuff like that). The short is the most exciting thing because it's FREE (can you tell I'm a college kid? ;)). The alumni group sends out a newsletter exclusive to alumni, and puts together speaker series and even a homecoming weekend. The homecoming weekend was actually this past weekend, and though it varies year to year, this year they provided discounted tickets and hotel. Apparently some years they've done free park tickets, so it just depends on volume and budget and stuff. There WAS a cap, so you had to sign up early to get a spot. They also gave you a free homecoming package that included a shirt and stuff! I didn't go because it would have been really expensive to travel there, pay for hotel and park tickets, and buy food. But they posted stuff all over the Facebook page, so I got to find out about everything that way!

That's pretty much the alumni association in a nutshell! It's worth joining just for the free package, but if you take advantage of it you can also make some really good professional connections! Think of it as a Disney sorority. You know how sorority girls connect with other girls after they graduate just because they were in the same sorority, no matter when or where they were a part of that? That's pretty much exactly what the Disney Alumni Association is like. I've never been in a sorority, but based off of all my friends and roommates experiences, this is what it's like hahaha. You complete a program, living with all these people you have a ton in common with (your "sorority"), then join an association after you graduate where you network with people that were in your shoes and can relate to whether they did their program years earlier (were in your "sorority" at a different time) or did their program in a different park (were in your "sorority" at a different school). You probably get what I'm saying, I'm just really proud of my comparison hahahahha.

That's all I have! Join after you complete your program, it requires minimal effort and you can tons of free perks. :)