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

I can’t believe that it’s been nearly a decade since I graduated from university (how did that happen?), but I can still vividly picture baby grad Jess – clutching her Bachelor of Design diploma like she’d just walked off the stage in a High School Musical 3 finale. She had big dreams, a whole lot of creative energy, and absolutely no idea what came next.

To quote the great Dr. Seuss: “Oh, the places you’ll go.”

Little did I know just how accurate that line would turn out to be.

Taking a gap year to work at Walt Disney World didn’t just give me a fun year abroad – it completely changed the course of my career and my life.

That Post-University “What Now?” Feeling

After graduating, I did everything I was supposed to do.

I applied for design jobs.
I landed a trial day at a signage company (hated it).
I took a waitressing job that unexpectedly turned into a graphic design role I actually enjoyed.

On paper, I was doing great. I had a full-time job, a routine, and a sense of stability. I was officially adulting. But underneath it all was a quiet, persistent feeling I couldn’t shake. A need to go on an adventure.

And that feeling? It turned out to be the beginning of something much bigger.

The Conversation That Sparked Everything

One night over dinner, a family friend casually mentioned she wished she’d taken a gap year after university. She talked about how she’d always wanted to travel, work overseas, and experience something completely different before settling into “real life.” Then she said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“I’ve heard there’s a program where you can work at Walt Disney World.”

Excuse me… WHAT? Disney? As in Mickey Mouse Disney?

To someone from a small town in Australia, working at Walt Disney World felt wildly unrealistic.

But the seed had been planted. And once it was there, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Discovering the Disney College Program (Yes, Aussies Can Apply!)

That night, I did what any curious, zillennial would do:
I Googled “Disney College Program for Australians.”

And there it was.

The Disney College Program – with a section specifically for Australian and New Zealand applicants!! The Disney College Program (DCP) offered the chance to live in the USA, work at Walt Disney World, gain international experience, and be part of something genuinely magical.

So I applied – half terrified, half hopeful.

And then… I got in!!

Cue happy tears, Disney playlists on repeat, and one very big 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 Walt Disney World to Disney Cruise Line

When my Disney College Program ended, the post-DCP blues hit hard. On that visa, you can only do the program once – and the thought of my Disney chapter ending felt unbearable.

But I also knew something deep down:

I wasn’t done yet.

So I followed that same instinct that had pushed me to apply in the first place – and found my way to Disney Cruise Line.

Fast forward to now, and I’ve spent over six years working at sea, traveling the world, and combining creativity with Disney magic in a way I never could have imagined back when I was fresh out of uni.