A Laois graduate student has lived a childhood dream this summer, working in Walt Disney World in Florida with unlimited access to the parks.
Alison Reilly, 22, from The Rock, Mountmellick told the Leinster Express / Laois Live about her US adventure.
“I wanted to work abroad this summer and it was a dream opportunity. I’ve finished college and wanted to do something fun before I seek a full time job.
“I had done placement abroad in Spain with my course and I had also worked in Italy for a summer.”
“Disney is like a dream company to work for. They treat their staff really nicely, with perks to the job like free park entry and discounts on merchandise.
“I was in Disneyland Paris as a child and always wanted to go to Walt Disney World but it’s very expensive.
“I followed people online who do Disney programmes but I didn’t think that I could do them because they were all from the UK. Then my sister sent me a post about a programme that people from Ireland could do as well, as a J1,” she said.
The Disney Cultural Exchange program is only open to third level students.
“It wasn’t a simple process. There were three rounds, I did my first application to Yummy Jobs who hire on behalf of Disney, then did a pre screening Zoom interview. Then I went to Glasgow for an interview with Disney.
“I heard back a few weeks later. I couldn’t believe it. I was nervous going because I had put a lot of money into it and didn’t fully know what my job was, or know anybody else going.
The roles include working in food and beverage vending, as a character attendant, a seater, in custodial, merchandise, lifeguarding and attractions where Alison was placed. The programme was followed by a fun graduation ceremony with Micky Mouse.
Alison Reilly in front of the famous Disney castle.
“I was very lucky with my role. I was very happy with it. Everyone who worked there was very lovely, as well as the leaders and coordinators. There were people who had tougher jobs than me or were in the sun more.
“I worked in Spaceship Earth in EPCOT, which is a slow moving train journey. I was operating the ride and greeting guests. Most of my job was inside in the air conditioning.
“If there was an issue and the ride was stopped we had to deal with evacuations, then when it resumed we had to walk the track to check everything was in order. Also during the day they would send people on a ride-through, to check that everything was working which was kind of fun.
“We had to pay for our accommodation, mine was $215 a week. Disney provide apartments for college programmes, with security and free buses to the parks whether you were working or not.”
Alison with her Scottish workmate Emilie in their EPCOT uniforms.
She made the most of the free entry to parks.
“I probably went to EPCOT the most as I was there, sometimes I would go just before or after work. One of the best rides people say is the Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind and that was in our area. I went on it 18 times, even though the queue was usually an hour long.
“I went on about 10 full park days, but we worked a minimum of 30 hours a week, paid $17 an hour. I knew that I wasn’t coming back with savings. Other people did go and travel in the US after because you had 30 days before you had to come home.”
Her favourite memories are around the friends she made.
“The best memories are just going to the parks with my friends. Getting close with my co-workers, there were about 20 international college program students on my ride. So I’ve made friends with French people, Mexican people, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UK, we all just got really close in the end. After work we’d go for food together and spend our days off together. It made work a happy place. We all have plans to meet up again, and invites to visit each other.”
Alison had to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement, to keep the backstage Disney secrets a secret.
“My role didn’t have many secrets but my friend worked in the Magic Kingdom and she’d be sitting down to eat and there might be a princess across from her eating her lunch. Or she’d see one of the characters headless backstage which is just unheard of. Backstage you can’t take a picture, you’d be sent home straight away. It’s also for safety, so no-one just walks backstage and acts like they know where they’re going. You do have to have your ID,” she said.
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Alison only left the Disney area once during her two month placement.
“You’re in a little Disney bubble as everyone calls it.
“I would recommend it to others but only if they like Disney and knew they were going there to work as well as to play. Some people were a bit put off when they realised how much they had to work, that it wasn’t just a holiday. But really it’s what you make it because some people had tough roles and ended up loving it.
For anyone thinking of following in her footsteps, think long term because applications for 2026 are already closed.
“They open in May 2026 for summer 2027, if you just follow Yummy Jobs they post when the applications open and they often extend them every year,” Alison advises.
