In each of our childhood’s, we have experienced moments when we thought we knew exactly what we wanted to do in life. Children tend to spurt out their future occupations, as if it’s a well-known fact. For example, when I was little, all of my friends would tell me they were going to be an astronaut, a doctor, a firefighter, and so on. At the time, we believe that we know exactly what we want for ourselves in the future. It’s ironic how sometimes, little kids have a clearer idea of what career path they would like to follow, than college students. As to be expected, most kids do not actually go into the field they imagined for themselves when they were little. However, I was another story.
My parents took me to Disney for the first time when I was just six months old. Of course, I do not remember any of it, but they had always loved Disney, and they were hoping that they could create the same love for me. I do not remember much of these trips from when I was that little, but some of my first memories were from Walt Disney World. Each time we would attend, my parents would always hear me saying, “I’m going to work for Disney one day.” At first, they would laugh it off, and tell me that people who work there do not make a ton of money. However, they never shut down the idea completely for me. They suggested that I could work there part-time in the future, or find a program that would enable me to work there temporarily. They probably thought that my Disney fantasy would soon fizzle out in my head, as if it were a phase that I would eventually become too old for. However, the more we went to Disney, the more my signature phrase would sound like a reality. When it came to Disney, there was nothing I would not research. Whether it was fun facts, job opportunities, or just pictures of the parks, I absorbed as much Disney information as I could. At fourteen, I discovered the Disney College Program, which accepts a certain number of college students from around the world to work in Disney for a semester. Now, I am eighteen years old, and still stress to my family, friends, or anyone that will listen, that I will work there one day, and now, I have the perfect program to do that with.
The role I wish to pursue in Disney, is a character performer. This group includes fur characters like Mickey Mouse, and face characters like the princesses. For this specific role, there is a tough audition hopefuls must pass, in order to work for Disney. When I discovered this, I found myself stuck with what seemed like hundreds of questions about the auditions. When and where are they held? What is required for each? How long do they last? I am the kind of person to accidentally work myself up over the slightest of things, so the idea of auditioning for Disney became very daunting for me. I was stuck wondering where to look for the answers to all of my questions, when suddenly, an option became very clear to me.
Over the years, the internet has become a popular place, if not the most popular place, to find information. Generation Z, commonly referred to as “the technology generation”, has been using the web more and more to get their information recently. This has been heavily criticized by earlier generations, but it is impossible to deny that the internet has become a convenient resource for people of all ages to use. “Whether it be discovering the ideal college major and campus setting, uncovering new online educational opportunities, or seeking information on that “first real job” or a completely new career, both prospective college students and working professionals can find high-quality college and career guidance through the WWW.” (Gust & Flynn, pg. 228). There is no doubt, that the internet has become the quickest, and easiest way to research valuable information. Based on my new knowledge of where to look, I was ready to become immersed in all the internet had to offer for me. The amount of information you can obtain from the internet is endless, and that is what is so thrilling about it.
I was lucky enough to find hundreds of vlogs on the internet from people that have gone to a Disney College Program audition, sometimes even more than one. The importance of vlogs is addressed in the journal “Audience Design in Monologues”, where the writer says, “vloggers implicitly and explicitly state that the main purpose of their vlogging activity is to communicate with other people through this medium. While many of them ask for feedback in the form of written comments and videos, some recount how they have been able to make new friends through vlogging, people they meet online as well as offline.” (Frobenius, pg. 59). These videos are full of information about the different experiences people have had when auditioning, and what to expect going in. Although some people who make these vlogs don’t get into the program, their information about what to expect during the audition is still valid. In the video “How to be Successful at Disney Auditions”, Mackenzie Brown, a young adult that made it through her audition successfully, says “I watched a ton of videos… and when I got there, I felt I was very mentally prepared in what was going to come.” (Brown, 0:11-0:20). You can find just about every person who makes these videos, saying the same thing. Whether they get in or not, there is no doubt that these vlogs are beneficial to both the creator, and the viewers. One video I liked a lot called “All About DCP Character Performer Auditions!”, was made by a girl named Danielle, who gave a full rundown of the character performer auditions for the college program, and gave little positive reminders along the way. She stressed that “Disney auditions are really all about timing” (Slaboda. 5:00-5:03), and that it’s perfectly normal to be cut in one of the early rounds. I learned that “if you get cut, it’s probably not because they hate you…it’s more because you weren’t the right fit, or you weren’t the right height, so just know that it’s not you, don’t take it personally.” (Brown. 21:53-22:04). I found Mackenzie’s and Danielle’s videos very reassuring, and it made me feel better about the idea of getting cut early in the auditions process. I know now, that it is unrealistic to walk into these auditions with the mindset that everything is going to work out perfectly. Of course, it is essential to go in there with a positive attitude, and to do the best that you can, but sometimes, the cards will not always be in your favor, and that is okay.
With so much talk of online vlogs, one could wonder what the other genre conventions are of a typical Youtube post? Usually, before you begin watching a video, you are shown an advertisement that has been chosen specifically for you, based off cookies that your computer has assigned to you. In my case, ironically enough, a commercial for Walt Disney World would play before I watched these audition experience videos. Once you are brought to the actual content, you see little bubbles that pop up on the video saying “don’t forget to subscribe!” or “give a thumbs up if you love Disney World!”. The video is entertaining of course, but one of my favorite parts of any Youtube video, is the comments. I especially love the comments on these Disney videos, because they come from people like me, who want to work for the mouse one day. I feel like I have a community to be a part of when I read those comments, because I can relate to stuff being said there. It is very rare to find negative feedback on a Disney audition video. These videos usually only have positive comments, a happy video description, and an excess of thumbs ups instead of thumbs down. It is easy to tell that these videos are centered on the idea of pathos, and it shows in the comments as well. All of the information being given enforces a jovial mindset, and the comments only add to that feeling. People can freely express their experiences or opinions on Disney auditions/the company itself, without being slandered online for it. Unlike the rest of the internet, trolls do not lurk around on these videos to bring people down, or to challenge their point. There is always a jolly atmosphere when entering the world of Disney videos, which shows that pathos plays a huge role in these vlogs.
It seemed like everything I had wanted to know, was laid out right before me. This made me wonder, what was it like for people who didn’t have these videos to reference? My old vocal teacher, Julie Smith, worked for Disney in the 1980s, so she was the perfect person to ask. Julie had told me that she originally found out about the Disney audition from her friends in theatre class. She joined a group of girls that were all auditioning together, and discussed with them what they should expect when they go to try out. She also had help from her drama teacher, who worked with her to make her dance technique, improvisation skills, and audition songs perfect. She explained to me that her main motivation for the job, was that she could be doing “what [she] loved, in a place that [she] loved.” (Smith. 2017). The fact that she was getting paid for all of this, was just the icing on the cake, which is very similar to the way I feel about why I want to work for Disney. Her teacher became the equivalent of online sources for her, and that is how she prepared for her audition. Once the time finally came to try out for Disney, she felt very comfortable with her material, and what she could bring to the company. There were many rounds that she had to get through in order to be hired, with each round knocking about 50-100 girls out of the competition each time, but she finally made it through. Julie said all she had to do, was remember what she had practiced and learned, and the joyous smile that is needed to work for Disney just came naturally to her. She felt that at the time, she didn’t need advice from others online, and if she had the option of going back in time, and being able to watch some videos before her audition, she would not. She found everything she needed in her friends and teacher, and she was offered “one of the best jobs [she has] had to date.” (Smith. 2017).
When comparing the findings from my research, and the information I received from my interview, it is clear to see that the whole concept of Disney auditions has evolved over the years. When my vocal teacher auditioned in 1982, she was more concerned with preparing the techniques she would be using in her audition, like her dancing and singing skills. This is part of the reason why alternate resources that can provide audition advice, were not necessary during this time. You cannot teach how to sing your audition song, or how to utilize the best dance techniques for Disney in a video, it must be done in person. However, in modern times, through information found in my research, I have learned it is more important to prepare yourself mentally for these auditions. The main point in today’s auditions, is to have fun, not make sure your toes are always pointed. Disney has changed their opinions and preferences when it comes to what they look for when evaluating who they want to hire for their company. The goal for them is to make the magic real for children and adults alike, and if you can fit that joyous profile, you’re very likely to get the job.
This is a chapter of my life that I am thrilled to jump into. If I am lucky enough, I could start living my dream as soon as summer 2018. I realized that the reason vlogs are so beneficial, is because of what has changed in the realm of Disney auditions over time. The criteria needed for these auditions can be presented perfectly in the form of an online post. I truly believe that if I walked into a Disney audition tomorrow, I would be fully prepared for whatever they decided to throw at me, thanks to all of the vlogs I watched online.
Works Cited
Brown, Mackenzie. "How to be Successful at Disney Auditions." Video blog post. Youtube. N.p., 24 Feb. 2017. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6E90iYcPWU>.
Slaboda, Danielle. "All About DCP Character Performer Auditions!" Video blog post. Youtube. N.p., 22 Feb. 2017. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAdx_fUCKlw>.
Smith, Julie. E-mail interview. 6 July 2017.
Gust, Kara J., and Holly A. Flynn. "Finding Your Future: College and Career Information on the Internet." Journal of Library Administration. 43.3-4 (2005): 227-45. Web.
Chytry, Josef. "Walt Disney and the creation of emotional environments: interpreting Walt Disney's oeuvre from the Disney studios to Disneyland, CalArts, and the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT)." Rethinking History. 16.2 (2012): 259-78. Web.
Villmoar, Adelaide H., and Peter G. Stillman. "Pleasure and Politics in Disney’s Utopia." Canadian Review of American Studies. 32.1 (2002): 81-104. Web.
Guay, Louis-Martin, and Jacqueline Dinsmore. "Theatre of the Unexpected: When the Spectator Becomes Actor." Canadian Theatre Review. 143 (2010): 6-10. Web.
Frobenius, Maximiliane. "Audience design in monologues: How vloggers involve their viewers." Journal of Pragmatics. 72 (2014): 59-72. Web.
Carson, Charles. "“Whole New Worlds”: Music and the Disney Theme Park Experience." Ethnomusicology Forum. 13.2 (2004): 228-35. Web.
