Erin Reasor doesn’t subscribe to the adage that children follow in their parents’ footsteps. For Erin, it was the opposite. At 53, she followed in the footsteps of her two daughters when she attended the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
“It’s rather unconventional, but it’s never too late to chase a dream or an opportunity, no matter the age,” says Erin.
The Disney College Program is a paid internship opportunity for college students to work at Disney in a variety of roles, everything from operations and recreation to entertainment and food and beverage. “It’s a break in the middle of your college experience,” Erin says.
A longtime fan of Disney, Erin originally applied for the program during her undergraduate years at Syracuse University in the 1990s but didn’t get in. “It was relatively new then. I was an elementary education major, and they were looking for business and hospitality majors,” she recalls.
A Pittsburgh native, Erin moved to Spotsylvania in 1994 for her first teaching job. “That’s where I met my husband. We’ve been in Richmond for almost 22 years,” says Erin, who was a math teacher at Chickahominy Middle School in Hanover and is now pursuing a master’s degree in school librarianship through Longwood University. Her enrollment in this master’s program became her golden ticket to Disney.
“I am a college student, so I am eligible to apply [to the Disney College Program]. I applied in January 2024, interviewed in February, and got accepted in March,” Erin says. She had gone back to teaching full-time in 2002, but because the internship required a months-long stay at Disney, Erin faced a major decision: leave her teaching position or pass up the opportunity. “Do I go and give up my teaching position? [The Disney College Program] was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I had the support of my husband to chase this once-in-a-lifetime dream,” she says. Ultimately, she decided to go. “I find that I am more likely to regret the decisions I don’t take than the ones I do.”
A Disney Loving Family
Erin has loved Disney ever since she was a child. Her parents took her to Disney World in 1976 when she was five years old. “I’ve grown up loving Disney,” she says. “I was in the high
school marching band, and we played at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.”
Erin, along with her husband Mike, instilled that same love of Disney in their daughters, Abby and Hannah. When the girls were young, the family visited Disneyland, Walt Disney World in Orlando, and Disneyland Paris.
“As a family, we go [to Disney] every couple of years. That was one of our primary reasons for going to Japan this year for a family vacation. They have two Disney parks there: Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. They were fabulous,” she says.
Abby’s Disney Adventure
The couple’s older daughter Abby became fascinated with the Disney College Program when she was in middle school. She would watch YouTube videos of people working in the program at Walt Disney World. “When I would go to Disney when I was young, I would see the name tags,” she says, remembering the name tags featured each person’s name and university.
When she was in her senior year at Virginia Commonwealth University, she decided to apply for the program and was accepted for the summer and fall term from June 2021 to January 2022. When Abby arrived at the Walt Disney World Resort, she was assigned to work as a hostess at the Yacht Club, one of Disney’s deluxe resort hotels in the Boardwalk area. The job was fine, but after about a month, she found herself wanting to do more in her role.
On one of her days off, she wanted to prove that she could take on more responsibility, so she worked a shift as a dishwasher. Her managers noticed her determination and moved her to a job as an appetizer cook. “I would prepare salads and flatbread pizzas,” Abby says. “I would also plate desserts.”
While she didn’t have the opportunity to interact with the guests in that position, she did get to personalize their desserts. “It was a good way to make magic for the guests who were there,” she says.
Abby worked in the program during Disney World’s 50th anniversary. “That was very special,” she says. “Disney did some extra things for cast members (Disney’s term for employees). Being part of that celebration was cool.”
During her days off from work, Abby found that she spent a lot of time in the parks at Disney World, at least one day a week. She enjoyed her time at Disney and shares that her favorite part of the experience was meeting her boyfriend Ryan who worked at the restaurants at Saratoga Springs Resort as part of the Disney College Program. The two have been together now for four years.
Hannah’s Disney Journey
When Hannah, now a senior at James Madison University, realized she had enough credits to take a semester off, she quickly applied for the Disney College Program, following in her sister’s footsteps. “I wanted to get involved with the magic at Disney,” she says, noting she participated in the program from January 2024 to June 2024.
Hannah worked on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom Confectionery’s production kitchen, as well as in a few merchandise locations in the same area. “One of the things we would do is make Magical Moments for people,” she says, adding that in the kitchen they would make and decorate different treats. “We would wave at the guests. When we would see a cute kid, we would ask if we could give them a treat for free. I liked to see their faces light up. I loved making the treats.”
During her time off, Hannah would go to the park by herself or with her friends. “I tried to do things I had never done before – unique things,” she says. She would also drive around to the beaches in Florida to see as many different ones as she could. Those trips were possible because Hannah drove her car from Virginia to Florida to attend the Disney College Program. “My dad drove down with me and flew home. When it came time to leave, my mom flew down and drove back with me,” she explains.
Hannah became very close with her roommate from Arizona and two of the girls she worked with. “We had a reunion this summer, and we went to Disney,” she says. “I definitely got friendships out of the experience. I loved meeting people from all over the world.”
She also enjoyed talking to guests. “I learned a lot about customer service and how to interact with people and keep that Disney magic going for them,” she says.
Erin’s Chance at Disney Magic
During her fall stay from August 2024 to January 2025, Erin worked in different attractions in Adventureland in Magic Kingdom, including The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Enchanted Tiki Room, and Swiss Family Treehouse. “When you are in attractions, these are safety critical roles like helping people get on and off rides, operating rides, greeting guests, etc. You
rotate among those positions,” Erin says.
Normally, program participants work 30 to 35 hours a week, often scheduled for later in the day shifts. “A lot of nights, I was closing the park at 11 p.m. or 12 a.m.,” she said. “I was fortunate to train for a second position with the team that assisted parades and was based in Liberty Square. We would greet guests, help them find viewing areas, maintain guest safety during the parade, and put up and take down the poles and ropes.”
Erin knew about the Disney magic and the feeling people get at Disney long before she started the program and was able to experience it for herself during her time there. She believes part of the magic is generated by cast members’ interactions with guests, helping make their experience memorable. “One family recognized me from the parade at another attraction. They took pictures with me. They were so excited to see me again. That was unexpected and memorable,” Erin says.
Her parade duties included working the parades for both Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, as well as working at the treat stations for the Halloween parties. “Working during the parties was especially fun, and the Halloween costume was my favorite of the four costumes I wore,” she says. “The Halloween costume includes either a bat bowtie or a bat headband, and cast members name their bat. My bat’s name was Meryl Creep.”
The majority of college participants in the program are in their early 20s. It’s less common to find participants over 30. Housing for students includes two campuses with four-person apartments. “I lived with three other girls, all in their early 20s,” Erin says. “That is one wish I have, that they would work better to pair people, especially people like me who are not traditional age. We had a great relationship, but I know that is not always the case.”
Like her daughters, Erin took advantage of the free admission perk to the parks. “I had a lot of days I would go to the parks and explore. I spent a lot of time in the parks,” she said. She also enjoyed taking advantage of several activities reserved for cast members only at Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. “Those behind-the-scenes opportunities don’t exist for the average guest visiting Disney,” she says.
Erin also drove to Disney so she could travel outside the resort. “I am fortunate that my college roommate and her husband live there now. Having those friends nearby when I needed a break was really beneficial,” she says.
There are also different programs available to college participants. Erin took classes on Disney history and earned her Mouseter’s Disney Heritage Degree. “I also took advantage of backstage tours and went to sessions where they invited different leaders in the Disney team to speak to the college students,” she says.
At the end of Erin’s time at Disney, she, like all other members of the College Program, participated in a graduation celebration, which is sometimes held in one of the parks. Erin’s was held on the primary campus for student housing. “Disney had food, entertainment, and characters. You get Mickey Mouse ears with a tassel, and you get your picture taken with Mickey in his graduation gown,” she says. “It’s a special moment to graduate with Mickey.”
While Erin would still qualify to participate in another Disney College Program session, she doesn’t envision that happening again. However, she never rules Disney out. “Maybe Mike and I will retire in Florida and work for Disney,” Erin says.
