From Disney Dreamer to Disney Engineer: A Full-Circle Journey
When April Breedlove first came to Walt Disney World as a high school senior in 2019, she arrived as one of 100 high school students selected for Disney Dreamers Academy (DDA), an immersive, multi-day leadership development experience bringing together 100 exceptional high school students from across the country.
Four years later, she returned as a software engineer, accomplishing a dream that she only realized after her experience as a Disney Dreamer. She now works on technology that helps bring stories to life across parks, resorts, and cruise ships. This year, she became a judge on the panel that selected the 100 students who will attend the 2026 DDA!
How Disney Dreamers Academy Sparked a Career in Tech
During her DDA experience, April participated in the Technology Career Quest, a workshop where cast members introduced students to the coding magic behind MagicBands. For April, that moment was transformative.
"The Technology Career Quest really stood out to me,” April said. “Getting a hands-on, real-world look at MagicBands and the code behind them opened my eyes to a side of technology I didn’t know existed.”
The cast members hosting the experience showed her how technology at Disney is used to tell stories and create meaningful interactive experiences. Although April already knew she wanted to work in tech, she realized that she wanted to become a software engineer at Disney.
How April Turned Inspiration into a Career at Disney
After taking part in DDA, April stayed focused on her goals while continuing her education in college. She remained connected to DDA and volunteered as an alumni leader supporting Disney Dreamers just like her younger self. During her junior year, April completed a Disney Internship in software engineering, working with the same cast members who inspired her years earlier and gaining real-world experience.
After graduating in 2023, she returned to that same team as a full-time associate software engineer, completing a journey that was several years in the making. As part of Disney’s Connected Products team, her work includes interactive MagicBand experiences like those that first sparked her interest in technology.
“Accepting my full-time role with Disney was amazing,” April said. “I had the chance to return to the same team that inspired me as a Dreamer and contribute to the tech behind the experiences I once learned about. It was one of those moments where everything truly felt full circle.”
Continuing to Give Back with Disney Dreamers Academy
Throughout her time at Disney, April has continued to support DDA. In 2024, she assisted with the same Technology Career Quest workshop that inspired her to become a Disney software engineer. In 2025, she went on to lead that workshop and inspire Disney Dreamers just like her younger self. In 2026, she became a judge on the panel that selected 100 high school students from across the country to participate in this year’s DDA.
“DDA gave me the confidence to pursue my goals,” April said. “Being seen and encouraged by cast members during my experience helped me believe in myself. Volunteering with DDA as a cast member is my way of paying that forward and helping Dreamers build that same confidence.”
For April, the mentorship she received as a student became the foundation of the mentorship she now provides as a cast member. Her story highlights a culture at Disney where cast members are empowered to create lasting impacts on the next generation while they progress in their careers.
Thank you to April and all the DDA volunteers for the care and dedication they bring to creating a meaningful experience for Disney Dreamers.
Interested in exploring technology careers at Disney? Visit DisneyTech.com to learn more about open roles and early‑career opportunities.
