How Taking a Gap Year to Work at Walt Disney World Changed My Life Forever

It’s been nearly a decade since I graduated from university (wait, what?!), but I can still see baby grad Jess, clutching her Bachelor of Design like it was her High School Musical 3 moment. She had big dreams of adventure… and zero clue what was coming next. To quote the great Dr. Seuss: “Oh, the places she would go!”

That Post-Uni “What Now?” Feeling

After graduation, I did all the “right” things: applied for design jobs, landed a trial day at a signage company (hated it), then fell into a waitress job that randomly turned into a graphic design role I actually liked. I was officially adulting with a full-time job! But that quiet voice in the back of my mind? Still whispering “is this it?”

Spoiler: it wasn’t.

A Life-Changing Conversation

Over dinner one night, a family friend casually mentioned she wished she’d taken a gap year after university — done something adventurous like travel or work abroad. She even said she’d heard about a program where you could work at Walt Disney World.

Wait. What?

Disney?! That sounded like a dream. But for a girl from a small town in Australia, working for Disney felt… impossible.

But what if it wasn’t?

Discovering the Disney College Program

That night I did what any curious, slightly restless millennial would do: I googled “Disney College Program Australia.”

And I found it. There was a whole section just for Aussie and Kiwi applicants.

I applied.

AND I GOT IN.

Cue: happy tears, Disney playlists on repeat, and one giant leap into the unknown.

Jumping for — *Dreams really do come true!!*

The Best Year of My Life

My gap year working at Walt Disney World was pure magic. I found a place where I truly belonged. From watching the fireworks every night (yes, it really doesn’t get old!) to making lifelong friendships and creating unforgettable memories, the Disney College Program (DCP) was everything I didn’t know I needed.

It was the kind of year that changes you.

Girl with curly hair wearing Mickey Mouse ears looking at Cinderella castle at magic kingdom

From Disney World to Disney Cruise Line

Post-DCP blues hit hard. You can only do the program once on that visa, and I couldn’t bear the thought of my Disney chapter being over. But I knew in my heart: I had to find my way back to the Mouse.

And I did.

Now, I’ve spent over six years working at sea with Disney Cruise Line, combining travel, creativity, and magic in the coolest job ever.

Hey Siri, play “Best of Both Worlds” by Hannah Montana.

One Leap Can Change Everything

What started as a spontaneous gap year became the turning point of my entire career. So, if you’re fresh out of uni and wondering what’s next, here’s my advice:

Do the thing.

Take the leap. Follow the dream, even if it seems totally wild. You never know where it might lead — for me, it led to the most magical adventure of my life.