Disney Housing: Event Team Spotlight
If College or International Program participants on the East Coast have questions about the living component of their program, they are referred to Housing. But what is “Housing?” Did you know that Housing is actually comprised of several different teams, all with the same goal of ensuring our participants have an unforgettable and seamless program experience? Although we share a common goal, the responsibilities each team has are very different.
This post is the first in a series that will highlight each team within Housing so you know how you can best direct your inquiries and become more familiar with the friendly faces that are here to assist you.
When asked about their most memorable part of their Housing experience, many participants are quick to respond with one of their favorite Housing events. Our Housing Events team, made up of one manager, one coordinator, and four professional interns, has a big job. Based out of The Commons apartment complex, this small but mighty team is tasked with planning and executing over 150 events and excursions each year exclusively for our College and International Program participants. Becky, one of our current Housing Event professional interns, gave me a deeper insight on what it’s like to be a part of their team:
What does a typical day for you look like?
“To be perfectly honest, there is no typical day here with the Events team. Our weeks consist of multiple events and maybe an office day here and there to catch up on our event recaps and paperwork. What we enjoy most is that every day with our team is never the same, so we never find ourselves bored!”
What goes into planning a Housing event?
“We first start as a team and brainstorm different ideas we want for events for the next month. Once we narrow down the events, we then have to come up with themes. Once all of that is determined, we create a proposal to show our leader, and if she approves them, we are allowed to go ahead and contact our partners to make these events come alive!”
In what ways do you assist or interact with our participants?
“We work closely with our participants. If they ever have any questions regarding Housing trips or events, they are more than welcome to reach out via email or phone. We also get the opportunity to talk to participants all over the world and hear their stories about how much these Housing events impact their lives.”
What is the most challenging aspect about your role?
“The most challenging aspect would have to be the idea of change. Events during the summer months in Florida tend to be postponed or cancelled due to weather conditions. But no worries – we always have a backup plan, either moving the event indoors or postponing it to a different date. Change is always inevitable but understanding how to deal with change during event planning is definitely a lesson we’ve learned from this internship.”
What has surprised you most about your role?
“The most surprising thing about this role is all the different partnerships we have to create for our events! We work with partners including Park Event Operations, Catering and Conventions, Disney Event Group, Event Entertainment and Talent Booking. In addition, we also work with local Florida vendors to help add a few touches for our events. Partnerships are very important in this role because without one, we would not be able to create the events you see today!”
From your Housing Welcome Session to your Service Celebration and everything in between, our Housing Events team is here to help you create magical memories and celebrate milestones during your College or International Program journey. Make sure you take advantage of everything this team has to offer!
