Current & Former Students

Whittington Has A Magical Summer With Disney College Program

Ashton Whittington at the Disney University building at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida

On April 1, maritime studies major Ashton Whittington ’25 started as a cast member, a term for all Walt Disney World employees, in the Disney College Program. Bldg. 311 sat down with him to talk about his experience so far.

What made you decide to apply to the Disney College Program?

I had been interested in the program for a while and signed up for their newsletter while attending a recent conference. I received an email from them during the winter break and finally decided to apply. I hugely care about the maritime industry, and Disney has this great connection to the industry through Disney Cruise Lines. Actually, in March, right before I left, I went to the career fair on campus and talked to a Disney Cruise Line representative who got her start in the Disney College Program. 

There’s also a natural connection with my nostalgia and enjoyment of Disney media, as well as an appreciation for the brand and their corporate values. Disney has global brand recognition, which is very compelling, and they have an unrivaled passion for storytelling that is incredibly unique and one of the driving factors of my application.

Can you tell us about what your day-to-day life is like?

I’m on the night shift, which is customary for the Disney College Program participants. I work at the Skyliner, a gondola cable car system that travels between the different resorts and two of the theme parks. Each day, I’m placed at a different station, but I’m always tasked with making sure that people can get where they need to go. I load and unload cabins, answer questions, maintain operations and ensure that lines are properly cycled out on time. 

When I went to Walt Disney World as a little kid, the Skyliner didn’t exist yet! I remember taking buses everywhere. When I first got my assignment and saw that I was assigned to a gondola, I thought I’d be driving boats in the Italy section of Epcot. I was delighted to learn that it was a whole inter-park transportation system as part of Disney Transportation. It’s been very cool to revisit Walt Disney World from this perspective. 

Beyond that, I live in Winter Garden, Florida, where my apartment complex is about five minutes from Animal Kingdom, and all of my neighbors in the complex are other cast members. I do my schoolwork and grocery shopping and participate as much as possible in the program’s learning and networking opportunities. They cover pretty much every topic you can think of, but I always attend the ones focused on the Disney Cruise Line and maritime industry. It’s great for networking, and I genuinely love hearing the more personal experiences about where people started in their careers and where they are now. 

What is your favorite part of the program so far?

My absolute favorite thing about this experience is meeting all sorts of different people from all sorts of different backgrounds, both within the program and outside of it. I came in with a huge arrival group of participants from universities all over the country. For four months, we get to know each other, learn about what everyone is learning in school, and talk about what we’d like to do with the company in the future. And this is a customer service job at its core, so I talk to tons of visitors every day, as well as my fellow cast members.

Although many of my peers are doing this for college credit, I’m graduating on time and decided not to pursue that. I just wanted the experience, which has been fantastic so far. 

Getting to go to the parks whenever I want is a nice perk, too. 

Are there any Disney secrets that you can share with us? 

Recently, after finishing up for the day, I drove the van back to the central station, which takes me underneath and around the backstage sections of Epcot. I drove by Test Track, an interactive attraction that includes designing your own virtual concept car and taking a “SIM Car” for a spin. Test Track is currently closed, but I had a good view of the Imagineers working on it as part of the development of the new version. It was just such a cool experience and a great look behind the scenes, and I know it will be spectacular when it’s finished. 

So do you have a favorite Disney movie? 

Ooh, that’s a tough one…

How about a top three?

Okay, I can do that. My number one is “The Great Mouse Detective.” It’s a little older and a little niche, but it’s such a great story. Number two is “Tangled.” It’s a classic tale with an amazing retelling. And my number three is probably “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” which is also a little older, but it’s so, so good. 

What would you tell somebody who wants to apply to the Disney College Program? 

There are a lot of people who are cautious about dedicating their entire summer and moving down to Florida to work at Walt Disney World. I know it might not be for everyone, but if you have a good attitude and you try your best, the Disney College Program can be an incredibly rewarding experience. August 1 is my official end date, exactly four months after I started. After that, I’m heading back to campus to get ready for SALT Camp. I’m excited to start my senior year with this new experience, but I know I’m going to miss the Disney magic. 

It has been transformative for me. The Disney College Program is designed for your success – just have a little faith, trust and an intern-approved amount of pixie dust.