Hard Truth #3 About the Disney College Program: Transportation Is a NIGHTMARE

If we had to sum up the Disney College Program in a few short sentences, it would go something like this: The Disney College Program (DCP) is a unique internship opportunity that allows college students to work as Disney World Cast Members for a few months, while, in some cases, earning college credits along the way. The job doesn’t pay much, and the hours can be long, but, hey, you’re working at Disney World.

Like any job, the life of a DCP Cast Member comes with plenty of pros and cons. Your housing is taken care of through Disney. Your transportation around Disney World property is provided for free (if you don’t bring a car). You even get FREE access to the Disney parks on your days off. But we need to talk about one tiny little problem with the logistics of living near Disney World.

Disney College Program participants move to Florida from all over the world. While some may be coming from a nearby state like Georgia, others may live in a different country! That means not everyone is able to bring a car.

Luckily, Disney thought of that and has an answer to the issue: free bus transportation all around Disney World property! In fact, there are even bus lines that will take you to nearby stores like Target. Handy, eh?

Well, like most free public transportation, the Flamingo Crossing bus service is…not the most convenient.

Hard Truth #1 About the Disney College Program: Your Roommate Could Be Unhinged

When you’re forced to rely on someone else’s schedule, you have to do a lot of extra planning on your way to work.

College Program participants must use an app called Passio GO! to check the daily bus schedule, and depending on when your shift may start, you might end up having to leave upwards of an hour early, even though Disney is only minutes away from the Flamingo Crossings housing complex.

Disney provides bus routes to pretty much every Disney World location…but there’s a catch. You may end up having to sit through multiple stops before arriving at your destination.

Route K, for example, goes to several Disney World hotels before circling back home to Flamingo Crossings. You might end up stuck on a (crowded, at times) bus for a LONG time. And after a long shift at work, it’s not fun to deal with a never-ending bus ride home.

The good news is that other bus lines, like the one to EPCOT, only make three stops. That said, EPCOT employs a LOT of College Program students, so the bus is often totally full.

As you can see, there are buses running pretty much around the clock, so as long as you keep your eyes on that app, you should be able to find a ride. Oh, and make sure you don’t forget your ID — you have to show it in order to board the bus!

The bus may run a few minutes late, break down, or skip your stop, but overall, the service runs pretty smoothly and gets you where you need to go.

Hard Truth #2 About the Disney College Program: You Could Get a Job That You Hate

If you’re used to jumping in your car and going wherever you want, whenever you want, it might take a bit of time to get used to the bus system. Ask any former College Program participant, and they probably have a horror story or two to share. There’s even a long-running “BUS POST” joke within the College Program Facebook groups that references the seemingly endless complaints people have about the buses.

Is the DCP bus system perfect? No. But hey — it’s not so bad! Just go in with an open mind and make sure you’re really good at keeping track of time, OK? In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

I Did the Disney College Program — Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE I Signed Up

Have you ever applied to the Disney College Program? Let us know in the comments!

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