The Important Stuff: Visa Appointment

This is going to be a quick post about the visa appointment. I did make a vlog about this a long long time ago (found here) that might be a little more accurate. It's going to be super dooper quick because other than waiting there was not much at all that happened.

So you're asked to arrive at the US Consulate around 15 minutes before your appointment. My appointment was at 8am and the building itself didn't open until 8am so I had to wait outside for a good while before they let us in. When the doors to the building opened we were allowed to come in and line up outside the security office. For some unknown reason they were having troubles with communication so we were not allowed in until around 8.15am. By this time the line to enter security was out the doors of the building.

When they finally let us in to the security office they let four people in at a time and I was in the first group of four. They tell you to sign in on the computers, which involves entering your name, date of birth and passport number, and you are printed a sticker (which you stick to yourself once you've been through the metal detector). Then they gave us two plastic trays. One for our purse/wallet and supporting documents, and another for everything else. They take both trays and run them through a scanner to make sure there's nothing dangerous hiding in your personal items. At the same time you go through a metal detector to make sure there's nothing dangerous hiding in you.

Once you're all clear they give back your documents and your purse. The tray with all of your other items goes under the security desk and they give you a ticket with a number on it for you to claim your things when you return. When all four of you have made it through the metal detector you are taken upstairs to the waiting room. When you're placed in the waiting room you'll be given another ticket with a number on it. This number is the number they will call throughout the appointment when there is a booth ready for you.

After a little while of sitting around staring at the walls (because there's no phones inside) your number will be called. They'll bring you up and ask for your passport, DS-2019, DS-160 confirmation and your SEVIS payment confirmation. They also take a scan of your fingerprints and you are sent back to the waiting area. Here you wait a little bit longer.

Your number will be called again and you will approach the appointment window. At the appointment window the person behind the glass will ask you a few questions. Some people may be asked to provide supporting documents like the offer letter, proof of student status form or a bank statement. If they are satisfied with the answers and/or documents you provided then your visa will be approved. Good news is you now have a visa. Bad news is there's more waiting.

For those of you from Australia you have to pay a reciprocity or issuance fee. You'll be asked to sit back down again until your number is called again and you'll be brought up to the cashier window. Here you will pay the fee either in cash or by credit card. Once you've paid and you've got a receipt you are free to go.

In around 5-7 business days your passport will be sent back to your with your visa inside. It will arrive in the mail and you'll have to sign for it much like your DS-2019. When it does finally arrive you'll need to upload a scan of it to DOC. You'll also be asked to enter some of the details on the visa page to the DOC including the appointment date or issuance date, the visa number (the red number stamped on the bottom) and etc. Once you have added all these details you are finished with the visa process!

Now that this entry is out of the way I can finally start blogging about my adventures in the United States!

- Lily

The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 3)

Hi all!

My last blog post on the subject of visa applications was just getting a tad too long so instead of tacking this on at the end I decided to give it its own space to breathe. This post will cover how to book your visa appointment/interview and pay the associated fee. This information is included at the end of my vlog on the DS-160 application that can be found here (I've made sure it plays from where I start talking about booking the appointment).

So you've completed your DS-160 and you're wondering what to do next? Book an appointment, of course! But first what you have to do is create yourself an account on the ustraveldocs site. Up the top left hand corner of the page there should be a button that says 'Log In'. Even if you don't have an account yet just go ahead and click on it. Underneath where you would normally chuck in your log in details if you were a returning user there should be a link that says 'New user?'. If you click on this it will take you to a page where you can create yourself an account. Just the general username, password type stuff.

When you've finally got your account you should be taken to your account interface. Here there are a whole bunch of blue buttons and a list of links over to the left. Click on the button in the list that says 'New Application/Schedule Appointment'. It should then ask you what kind of visa you are applying for and you again select 'Non-immigrant visa'. You will then be asked what post (consulate) you want to book an appointment at. The form then asks for your visa category (Student) and visa class (J-1).

The next few pages ask for the following information:

- Passport data (E.g. passport number, date of issue, date of expiry, etc.)
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Name
- Country of birth
- Gender
- DS-160 number (Found on the center bottom of the DS-160 confirmation page)
- Phone number
- Email address
- Address
- SEVIS number (Found in the top right hand corner of the DS-2019 form)
- Exchange/Program number (Found just above the center of the DS-2019 form)
- If you have any dependents
- Are you applying for this visa within 12 months of a previous visa expiring?

After you input all of this information you are then asked to confirm your postal address. Next up it's time to pay.

So you're taken to a page that lists how much the fee is. You have to click 'See Payment Options' to be able to select an option. Chuck in your payment information and make sure it's all correct. You're then given a receipt number. It wouldn't hurt to write this down but once you click the 'Continue scheduling appointment' button it takes you back to the original cost page but the receipt number is already plugged in for you. It might be advisable to write the receipt number down anyway but if the site is working how it should then you won't actually need it.

Once you're back at the cost page and it's recognized your payment you can click continue. You'll be taken to a page where you can select the date and time of your desired appointment. Pick whichever one tickles your fancy and select it. When you've chosen and booked an appointment you'll be taken to a confirmation page for your booking. I strongly advise you to print this out. If for some unknown reason your appointment doesn't show up in their database you'll need that confirmation to prove you're supposed to be there.

If you're now standing there with a SEVIS confirmation page, a DS-160 confirmation page and a consulate appointment confirmation page you are done with the process. There's only one thing left for you to do and that's attend your appointment! My next post will cover the visa appointment so stay tuned for that.

- Lily

The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 2)

Hi all!

This is going to be my second post on the subject of visa applications. This entry is about the second stage of the process, the DS-160 application. If you haven't read my first post and/or you haven't completed the SEVIS (I-901) form yet then go ahead and read that post first. My vlog on this subject is divided slightly differently to how they appear on this blog. The information on how to book an appointment and pay the fee will be in my next post as this one has become too long. To watch my vlog on the SEVIS application the link is here and to watch my vlog on the DS-160 application, which includes how to book an appointment and pay the fee, the link is here.

Important Information:

Before we begin I need to briefly mention a few things about how this is going to work. When applying for the visa there are a few different ways to go about it. You can create a profile on ustraveldocs first and follow the steps from there. You can start an application and then create an account afterward. Apparently you can pay the fee first or you can pay it after. It all depends on what you decide to do. In this post I will describe to you the order in which I completed the steps as my personal experience is my only point of reference. The questions on the form will all be the same and the process itself will be very similar. The only difference between methods will be order and how you navigate the pages.

Secondly, any words/sentences/sections that are in bold are answers to questions that were asked repeatedly on the facebook group when we were all applying. If you're looking for a quick answer to your question check the bold sections first.

Lastly, in your offer letter from Disney there is a link to a 12 page 'Important Immigration Information' document. This document has multiple pieces of information in it that you NEED to fill in your DS-160 application. Repeatedly throughout this post I will refer to sections of that document so it is wise to access that through your offer letter or through this link.

With all the disclaimers out of the way, let's begin!

Visa Application (DS-160):

Now that you've got your SEVIS all done it's time to move to the next step, the DS-160. Head on over to www.ustraveldocs.com/au/index.html. Once you get there a little window will pop up asking you if you've ever visited the site or applied for a US visa before. I indicated it was my first time and it took me to a page that asked whether I was applying for an immigrant or non-immigrant visa. The J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa so click non-immigrant.

The next page shows a list of steps you need to complete to apply for the visa with an 'Apply' button at the bottom. For some reason the 'Apply' button wouldn't work when I clicked on it. To get around this just click on the link in step two that says 'Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form'. You'll then be taken to a page that has information about the application on it including how long you have before the session times out and other information. Give this a quick read. Down the very bottom of the page there is a link to the online application form. Click on this to proceed.

Here you'll be taken to a separate site that hosts the form. To the right hand side of the page there is a drop down list containing the locations of all the US consulates around the world. In the list you need to choose the consulate you will book and attend an interview at. Once you've selected a location the page will change slightly. Underneath the drop down list there will now be a little box that relates to your visa photo.

The visa photo has different requirements to a passport photo which can be found here. With a little tweaking in the website's provided photo wizard you can turn a passport photo or even an iphone selfie into a visa photo but these guidelines must be followed. In the box there is a link that says 'test your photo' if you click on this link it will take you to the photo wizard. Here you can upload the photo you intend to use and mess around with it by zooming and moving it around to make it fit. You basically just have to make sure that your head fits between the lines and the white background fills the entire space. Once you've got it just right you can click 'continue using this photo' and it will attach this adjusted and saved version of the photo to your application.

When you're done it'll take you back to the original page, kind of like it did when you made a selection in the drop down list. This time the box surrounding the photo information box will be green. As we all know, green means go so you can go ahead and click on the 'start application' button. On the next page you will be given an application ID. Print or take note of this. If your application times out due to inactivity you can use this to get back in. If you do not have this ID you will have to start all over again. To accompany your application ID you also have to choose a security question and answer. These will also be used to get back into your application if you happen to time out.

Now we get to the actual application questions. Instead of doing them in big long paragraphs like I normally do I've just listed them all here:

Personal Details:

- Name
- Other names (maiden name if married, aliases, etc.)
- Telecode (Australia does not have this, if it doesn't apply to you just click 'does not apply')- Sex
- Marital status
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Country of origin
- National Identification Number, Social Security Number or Tax ID Number (Again, if this does not apply click 'does not apply')- Home address (This is your address. When they want Disney's address they will ask for your employer's address)

- Mailing address
- Phone number
- Email address

Passport Details:

- Passport type (Regular, the other types are for diplomats and important people)
- Passport book number (Australian passports do not have these so click 'does not apply')

- Passport number
- Passport country of issue
- Passport city of issue (Not listed on the passport, the major city where your passport was processed)- Passport issue date
- Passport expiry date

- Previous lost or stolen passports?

Visa Details:

- Purpose of your visa
- Date of arrival (It doesn't seem to matter what you put down for this, just explain at the consulate that your check-in date may be different to your date of arrival in the US)- Estimated length of stay (For this most people put 6 months and then explained in their interview that there were opportunities to extend to a full 12 months)- Address you will stay while completing your program (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Person or entity funding your trip (NOT Disney, this is whoever is paying for your flights, visa fees, etc.)
- Are you traveling alone or with travel companions? (Does not include people travelling with you who are doing the same program)
- Have you traveled in the US before?
- Have you had any previous US visas?
- Have you ever been refused a visa?

- Have you ever been denied travel to the US?
- Have you ever petitioned to immigrate to the US?

Point of Contact Details:

- US contact person (There is no one person listed as a contact so tick 'do not know')
- Contact organisation (Walt Disney World Co., found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Relationship (Employer)- Employer/Point of contact address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
- Employer/Point of contact phone number (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)- Employer/Point of contact email address (Found on the end of page 11 of the Important Immigration Information document)
Family Details:

- Father's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Mother's personal details (E.g. Full name, country of birth, etc.)
- Do you have any relatives in the US?

Occupation Details:

- Primary occupation (If you are still studying put student, if you have graduated put your employment)- School/Employer details (E.g. address, phone, weekly income, etc.)
- Description of duties (If you put student list duties such as 'attending class', 'handing in coursework' or leave it as N/A. If you put your employment list duties relevant to your employment)- Previous employment (If you put student as your primary occupation but you also have a part time job you can list that employment here and indicate the end date as being the day before you are completing the visa application)

Security Questions:

These are all yes/no questions relating to your history whether it be medical, criminal or immigration history. The questions below may not be the exact phrasing used on the form but the content of the question should be the same.

- Do you have any diseases, mental/physical disorders or drug addictions that would hinder you from working?
- Have you ever been arrested or convicted of a crime?
- Have you ever violated a law relating to controlled substances?
- Have you ever been involved in prostitution?
- Have you ever been involved in money laundering?
- Have you ever been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever assisted in human trafficking?
- Have any of your relations ever assisted or been involved in human trafficking?
- Have you ever been involved in any other illegal activity?
- Have you ever been involve in terrorist activity?
- Have you ever financed a terrorist activity?
- Have you ever been a member of a terrorist organisation?
- Have you ever been involved in genocide?
- Have you ever been involved in torture?
- Have you ever committed and other acts of violence?
- Have you ever been involved in the recruitment of child soldiers?
- Have you ever, while employed as a government official, committed any severe violations of religious freedom?
- Have you ever been involved in the enforcement of population control?
- Have you ever been involved in the coercive transplantation of human organs?
- Have you ever attended a deportation hearing?
- Have you ever entered the US unlawfully OR assisted someone else to enter unlawfully?
- Have you ever failed to show up for deportation?
- Have you ever overstayed a visa or violated the terms of a visa?
- Have you ever withheld the custody of a child?
- Have you ever voted in the US unlawfully?
- Have you ever renounced US citizenship as a tax dodge?
- Have you ever attended a school without reimbursing them? (Certain dates and conditions applied to this question)

Once you've finally made it through the mine field of security questions you can move to the next section. Here you have to provide two additional points of contact from your home country who can vouch for you. These people can not be part of your family but they can be friends, work colleagues, etc. You need their full name, address, phone number and email. Please note that the top of this section mentions something about these contacts confirming your intent to study. IGNORE THIS. Later on in the form you will be asked to indicate whether or not you intend to study. Intent to study is not a requirement of the program or the visa. However, you do still have to provide the points of contact. 

On the next page you need to enter your SEVIS ID again (Found in the upper right hand corner of the DS-2019) and the 'Program Number' (The Exchange Visitor Program Number, found just above the middle of the DS-2019). The form also asks if you intend to study in the US. You must click 'No' for this question. Even if you intend to take classes at Disney the Disney University is not a recognized educational institution so your 'study' there will not be in any official capacity.

After that page is complete you move to a page that asks you to confirm your address information. The next page requires you to perform an electronic signature to verify that all of the details entered in this form are correct to the best of your knowledge and you have not lied on the form. The next page is your DS-160 confirmation page. You MUST print the DS-160 confirmation page. If you don't have a copy of this at the appointment you will not be allowed inside.

For information on how to pay your fee and book your visa appointment see my next post here.

- Lily

The Important Stuff: Visa Application (Part 1)

Hi all!

This will be the first of three posts about the actual visa application to be followed by a fourth post that will focus on the visa appointment. This particular post will cover the SEVIS application and payment. My vlogs on the visa process are sectioned off in a similar way (the content of the third visa application post has been added on the the end of the second vlog instead of standing alone) and my vlog on the SEVIS application can be found here.

Important Information:

Any bold words/sentences/sections are answers to questions that were asked quite a few times while participants were completing the form. If you're searching for a quick answer to a question check the bold parts first.

Before we get into this post there are a few things I need to make clear. You CAN NOT begin the visa process before you have received the DS-2019 from Disney. You will receive your DS-2019 around 2 to 1 1/2 months before your arrival date. If your intake has two arrival dates, those with the earlier arrival will receive their forms first. You will not receive your DS-2019 until you have completed your first year of post secondary education (as this is a requirement of the visa itself) and have provided Disney with a Proof of Student Status form, signed by your school, that states you fulfill this requirement. 

When your DS-2019 is dispatched you will get an email from FedEx informing you that your package is on its way. The email provides you with an estimated arrival time and a tracking number. I encourage you to click the link that takes you to the FedEx tracking page because the estimated arrival time on the website is updated if any changes are made. The information on the FedEx website will be more accurate than the estimate in the email.

When your FedEx package arrives you will either have to sign for it or leave a note giving the courier your permission to leave the package without a signature. If for some reason you miss the delivery then the package will be taken back to the FedEx depot where you will have to go pick it up.

SEVIS (I-901) Application & Fee Payment:

Once your DS-2019 arrives you can start the visa application process. Head on over to www.FMJFee.com. On the home page click on the nice blue button that says 'Submit Form I-901 and Fee Payment'.

The next page is a quick note about needing a DS-2019 (or I-20 but that doesn't apply to you) before you can proceed followed by a list of warnings. Make sure you give these a quick read because they are things you need to be aware of. Once you've taken note of the warnings you'll get to a question at the bottom of the page that asks which form you have out of the DS-2019 or the I-20. Click the DS-2019 check bubble and then click 'OK'.

The next page asks for your name, your SEVIS identification number (found in the top right hand corner of your DS-2019) and date of birth. After clicking enter on this page you will be taken to another page that wants more personal details. You must enter your personal address (not Disney's), gender, city of birth, country of birth, country of citizenship, exchange visitor program number (found on the DS-2019, to the left of the barcode), passport number, exchange visitor category (Summer Work/Travel, listed as item number 4 on the form, just above the middle of the form). After entering all of these details proceed to the next page.

The next page of the form asks you to confirm the details you entered. It is incredibly important that you ensure your details are correct before proceeding.

You are taken to a page that asks you to pay. Select either credit card or check/money order (no eftpos). On the next page you are asked for your payment information and billing address which you must submit and then check over again on the next page. The next page, provided your payment was successful, is a payment confirmation. Print this page. You must take it with you to your appointment at the US Consulate. 

After you've printed out the confirmation page you're done with the SEVIS application. This is probably the easiest part of the application so don't be lulled into a false sense of security. The next step (DS-160) will bite you in the ass.

- Lily

5 Business Days

Hi all!

I had my visa appointment today and other than a few minor hiccoughs, like them running late and not having record of my appointment in the system, it all went pretty smoothly and they said I should have my passport back by next Wednesday.

I'll be making at least three posts on it because there is SO much to cover that I need to split it up a bit. Hoping to get onto that on the weekend so stay tuned.

- Lily

Track Your Package

Hi all!

Now that I'm finally done with my post about insurance I can post a few more casual things without feeling incredibly guilty about it. I've still got a few more posts coming about police background checks and my birthday but this quick little update is too exciting to wait any longer.

My visa papers are on their way!

On Thursday night/Friday morning, just after 12am  I got an email from FedEx telling me that my package is heading to my house. Since then I've been following its progress and this morning it arrived in NSW. It's set to arrive some time tomorrow so I'll be sitting by the mailbox all day waiting.

Well...Actually I'll be inside making my roommate gifts but my ears will be pricked and my eyes will be peeled for that glorious FedEx logo rolling into my driveway.

- Lily

The Important Stuff: Medical Insurance

Hi all!

So it's time to talk insurance. Having medical insurance is a requirement of the program and in all honesty I'd buy it even if it weren't. The cost of getting medical attention in the US, whether it be a doctor's appointment or a hospital visit, is utterly ridiculous. Being covered in case of emergency is an absolute must. In this post I'm going to talk about the insurance Disney uses and how to get it.

If you're not inclined to read this whole post my video on medical insurance can be found here.

Firstly, let's go over the medical insurance a bit. In previous years Disney would send participants a list of requirements that their medical insurance must cover and then send them into the world to look for a policy that fits the bill. Apparently that didn't work too well because in the last couple of years the policy has changed.

Now participants are sent a link to a company called HTH Worldwide who have three policies tailor made for Disney cultural exchange program participants. Participants can no longer choose which insurer to go with and MUST purchase insurance through HTH Worldwide. But while you cannot choose your insurer you do still have a few options in terms of price and coverage. HTH Worldwide has three policies that participants can choose from all with varying levels of cover and varying prices.

It is recommended that you choose a level of cover that suits you based on policy features rather than cost. For example, if you use prescription medications these may only be covered by one policy so the cheapest policy might save you money but if your prescriptions are being paid out of pocket it may cost more in the long run. Read the PDS for all three policies and decide which is best for you.

But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

The process of purchasing the medical insurance occurs in three distinct stages:

- Choosing and paying for your policy
- Registering your details online
- Printing out your ID card.

We'll go through these one at a time.

Choosing/Paying For Your Policy:

Right after officially accepting your offer you should receive an email entitled 'Mandatory Medical Insurance'.

The email tells you that, as the title of the email suggests, medical insurance is mandatory and you have to purchase insurance to be able to embark on the program. It also lists in detail the requirements of the insurance policy. You don't really need to pay too much attention because all three of the insurance policies provided by HTH Worldwide meet these requirements so it's not actually possible to buy a policy that doesn't fit the bill.

The email should have a link to the HTH Worldwide Disney specific policy options. Our round of emails did not contain the link though. The site can be easily located but plugging 'HTH Worldwide Disney' into Google.

Once you've followed the link or found it on Google it's time to do some serious thinking. As I mentioned above, carefully consider each option and make sure you choose the one that's right for you. While you're looking at each option keep in mind that you MUST pay for your policy in full.  The site lists a monthly rate but you cannot pay monthly.

When you've decided what policy you want, click the lovely green 'Enroll Now' button underneath it. You'll be taken to a page that has some generic terms and conditions on it that you agree to and then you can progress.

The next page lists what you need to fill in the application. This page is really important so pay attention. The first thing you need is the dates that you'll be in the USA. It's important to note that this is NOT the dates of your program. So if you're checking in on the 13th but you're arriving in the USA on the 11th you MUST be covered from the day you arrive. Similarly, you MUST be covered until the day you depart the USA rather than the day you check out of the program. If you are planning on extending just buy enough for the initial stay because it is incredibly easy to add more time to your policy.

The second thing that this page says you need is the Disney campus address. Before you start flapping your arms and shouting 'I don't know that!' (don't worry, I did it too) stop, take a breath, and read on. It's actually listed on the page for your convenience. Write the address down so you've got it when you need it and you're done. Feel free to proceed. 

On the next page you finally get to start actually filling in some forms. The form asks for your name, date of birth, the Disney campus address, your email address, home country, host country and the dates of your arrival in and departure from the USA. Chuck in your deets, check that they're all correct and you're ready to move on.

The next page asks for your payment information so you can pay for your policy. Make sure there's enough money in your account to cover not only the cost of the policy but also the conversion, conversion fee and tax. Once you've checked and double checked your details you can hop on over to the next page which is.....

Payment confirmation! You have just bought yourself insurance for your trip. You should print a copy of this page for your records before you quit the window. You'll also receive an email that confirms your payment and lists your policy details. You've successfully completed stage one of the insurance process.

Registering Online:

After a little while (I waited around an hour) you'll receive another email from HTH Worldwide telling you to register on their website. This email actually contains its own instructions that are quite reliable but I'll continue anyway just in case.

Before you click the link in the email you are told to print a copy of the email. At the moment I'm not 100% sure why this is but it specifically asks you to do it so it's probably best to just listen and print it.

Follow the link to a page that asks for your email address and if you're signing in for the first time. Once you've filled in the right details click 'sign in' to head to the next page. On the next page you are asked for your certificate number, your name and your policy end date. You then have to confirm your login details and address. 

After you've made sure all of your details are correct you should be done with your registration and stage two of the process.

Printing ID Card:

You'll receive a final email from HTH that confirms your registration and lists a whole bunch of actions you can take now that you have an account. One of the options, and the only one we care about at the moment, is 'Print your ID Card'. If you click this link and log in to your account you'll be taken to a page that lists your policy and its details.

Over to the right, under Print Docs, it lists ID Card as a printable option. Click that and it will open up a PDF version of your ID Card which you can then print. It's also a good idea to save a copy of this to your computer just in case. Once you've printed a physical copy of the card you've completed stage three of the process and you're all done with insurance.

 - Lily

P.s. Posts about police checks and my birthday are coming. Eventually. 

A Quick Update & Insurance

Hi all!

Sorry I've been so slow with uploading. I've got a heap of stuff going at the moment between school and work and personal projects so I've had minimal time to blog. I have been keeping up to date with my vlogs though surprisingly.

I will be making a full length post about insurance like my one on accepting your offer but it might take a few days/weeks. In the meantime, if you need help with insurance now, I made a video about it a week or two ago. Go have a watch and I promise my written explanation is on it's way.

- Lily

Important Stuff: Your Offer

Hi all!

In this post we'll go through receiving your offer and what you need to do to accept it. Before we begin though if you'd prefer to watch me talk rather than read all this information then my video on accepting your offer is below.

Let's get right to it!

So you check your emails and you see this:

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS. Take a minute to freak out, call your family, cry a little. It's all justified and very normal. But once you've gotten over the excitement it's time to get down to business. Your email should look a little something like this:

Now a lot of the stuff in this email is very important. So let's take catalog, shall we?

Firstly, it lists the things you have to do. 1) Accept your offer. 2) Upload your documents.

It also gives you a very definite time limit of 14 days. You have two weeks to complete those two steps or Disney will think you are no longer interested and pull you from the program.

Thirdly, it tells you that once you get to your offer letter you MUST print out a copy for you to use when you apply for your visa.

And lastly, it contains a link to the Offer Portal.

Accept Your Offer:

After you've read through the email and made sure you understand then you can click the Offer Portal link. This will open a page where you have to click on another link. This entire process involves a lot and a LOT of link clicking.

A little window will pop up and display your offers. There isn't much of importance here except over on the right it will state the date that your offer portal will expire. After this date you can no longer access the offer letter so you need to make absolutely sure that you've printed/downloaded everything you need before the portal expires.

The offer letter has a lot of important information in it including: your arrival and departure dates, your pay rate, your role, insurance requirements, visa policy, background check policy, International Recruiting's contact details and legal conditions of employment.

The offer letter also contains a link to the immigration documents. I strongly advise that you print these or download them as the last three pages are a step by step instructions to completing the visa process. If your offer letter expired before you got the chance to view it I have hosted a copy of the immigration documents here.

Once you've had a good read of your offer letter and the immigration documents you can scroll down and, using the drop down list and confirmation box, accept your offer.

Upload Your Documents:

Let's be abundantly clear here. The only documents that you need to upload within the 14 day period are the five documents that Disney has already asked you for. These are:

- Address information

- Emergency contact information

- Visa appointment information (only where the consulate is)

- Proof Of Student Status Form

- Passport scan

Once you have accepted your offer Disney will add two new items to your DOC. These DO NOT have to uploaded within the 14 days.

If there is anything wrong with/missing from your DOC, Disney will send you an email urging you to fix the problem and upload the documents required before the 14 day window closes.

For more information on what to do for DOC my post on it is here. 

Next Step To Accept:

Around an hour and a half after you've accepted your offer through your offer letter you will receive another email from Disney that looks a little something like this:

This is the second and last email that contains steps to be completed within the 14 days. If you've already accepted your offer in the offer letter (which you will have if you've received this email) and uploaded your documents then paying the program assessment fee is the last thing you must do within the 14 days for you to have officially accepted your offer.

This email contains a few important pieces of information. Firstly, your candidate ID number. Secondly, the link to the site where you pay your fees. And lastly, a repetition of the deadline just in case you've forgotten. 

Submit Your Program Fees:

Once you've read over the email and maybe even taken note of your Candidate ID you can go ahead and click the link (there are those damn links again). 

You'll be taken to a page where you have to log in using your last name and Candidate ID. 

The next page asks you for your gender. At one stage in the application you were asked your gender but you weren't obligated to supply it. Here you must provide your gender to proceed.

On the next page you are asked for your card details and billing address. You only need to fill in your billing address if it is different to the residential address you have already supplied to Disney. 

If your payment is accepted then you'll be taken to a confirmation page. You MUST print this and bring it to check-in. You should also receive an email with similar confirmation information in it. 

Welcome To The Team!

If you've accepted your offer, payed your fees and uploaded all of the necessary documents then you will receive your 'Welcome to the Team' email.

 Congratulations! You've officially accepted your offer. 

This email also has links to the Onboarding website where you can view anything from information on housing complexes to the Disney Look guidelines but you can read these at your leisure. For the moment just revel in the excitement that you are officially on your way to being a Disney cast member. 

- Lily

P.s. On the same day I accepted my offer I also bought my health insurance and ordered a police background check. Both of which I will cover in the coming days or weeks.

Shameless Plug

Hi all!

Since I've been accepted it's finally time for me to start posting the videos I've been filming since the week after I applied. If you want to check out my videos I've included the very first one here and I'll add a link to my channel in the tabs as well. Enjoy!

- Lily

Tell Everybody I'm On My Way

Hi all!

No, that title isn't purposefully misleading. I did it!

Yesterday at 7.21am I received my 'Congratulations' email from Disney informing me that I'd been accepted for Merchandise!

After a lot of screaming and excitement I told my mum whereupon she join in with the screaming and excitement. I cancelled my plans for the rest of the day (sorry, plans) and set to work completing all the steps and paperwork that I could. And let me tell you there were a bloody lot of them. Throughout the day I managed to accept my offer, pay my program fee, choose and pay for my health insurance, order a police background check, download and complete the hire documentation (I don't think I was supposed to do this yet though), start email communication with a travel agent and start a passport application for my mum.

Somewhere in there (during the hour and a half wait between accepting the offer and the arrival of the 'next step to accept' email) I called my dad and even though I'd managed to keep my eyes perfectly dry all morning I started crying as soon as he answered the call. He congratulated me and then told me to stop crying and be happy. I laughed, agreed and then told him that with all the preparation I had left to do I didn't have any spare time to cry.

I spent the rest of the day drowning in paperwork and trying to keep all my documents organised. When I finally headed over to my dads I got a quiet moment to myself in my car. With my Disney playlist blaring through the radio it finally started to hit me exactly what the day had meant. I did it. I finally did it.

After two years of preparing and waiting and wishing upon all the stars in the sky I'd finally got my chance. And as my favorite line from one of my new favorite Disney songs, 'Once Upon A Time In New York City' (Oliver and Co.), played through the speakers I sung along and started crying again.

"Keep that dream alive, dreaming is still how the strong survive."

It finally dawned on me: I was strong. I had survived. And now my dream was finally coming true.

- Lily

P.s. I will be making more detailed posts on accepting an offer, paying the program fee, health insurance and the background check so keep an eye out for those. I'll also chuck them all in the 'Important Stuff' page here. I have very limited access to internet at the moment though so updates might be a little slow. I'll also be posting about the hire documentation but maybe not until Disney actually tells us to do that.

The Important Stuff: Interview

Hi all!

So interview day has finally been and gone. Overall I'm pretty happy with how I did but I know that I probably could have done better. Now it's all about waiting for the results. I'm going to give you a play-by play of everything that happened so you know what to expect for your own interviews if you are indeed thinking of applying.

7.00: Started getting ready. I'd already done my hair the night before so all I needed to do was comb it a little, put some product in it to tame the frizz and pin it up. Also did my make-up, made sure my bag was packed, got into my interview clothes and then I was ready to go.

8.15: Mum drove me into Camberwell so I could catch the train to Melbourne Central where I headed straight for the cafe.


9.00: Reached the cafe but no one else was around yet so I vlogged a little and waited for Bec to show up. When she finally arrived we did the good old yelling and screaming ritual and then went to get some coffee. While we were drinking Nichola and Lauren showed up and we chatted for a little while.

                 

10.00: We headed over to the interview room and there were a few people already there. We had a chat with them about the facebook and suddenly a woman showed up with an American accent. The mystical Jill was in the building. Jill and her fellow recruiter Delinda went into the room to set up while we all waited outside.

10.45: A little later than scheduled we were let into the room, had our IDs checked and were seated for the presentation. The presentation went for around an hour and was quite fun. There were a lot of laughs and even though we already knew most of the information it was still really interesting. Bec and one of the girls we met at the presentation and I all earned luggage tags for answering trivia questions. They were all pretty simple but that doesn't make it any less special.

12.00: Being the over prepared weirdo that I am, I already knew where the interview room was and how to get there. We headed over to check it out so the people who interviewed before/after me knew how to get there on their own. Nichola had her interview at 12.30 so we dropped her off and went off to have some lunch.

1.00: Lauren had her interview at 1.30 so she left to get to the room in time while Bec and I decided to go window shopping. We went for a bit of a wander and then all of a sudden it was 1.50 and we needed to be at the interview room in 10 minutes. We rushed over to the room only to find that they were running behind by a fair bit so Bec and I left for a little longer to vlog and grab a bottle of water.

2.15: We came back to find that there were still two people from the 1.30-2.30 slot left to interview. So we were not expecting to be called in for a while but within what felt like minutes Bec was up to the plate. She was in there for what I can only guess was around 10/15 minutes (I should have timed it really) before she came out. We talked a bit about how she felt and what they asked her and soon enough it was my turn.

3.40: I was called in for my interview and let me tell you it felt like it was over in a flash. The questions I was asked were (not in order cause I honestly can't remember the order):

- You go to school here (RMIT)?

- What are you studying?

- Why did you chose to study that course?

- Why do you want to do the program?

- What work experience do you have?

- Have you been to America before/where did you go?

- Have you worked in America before?

- What do you want to get out of the program?

- What work experience do you have?

- At your job do you have to motivate people?

- In Operations/Attractions how would you ensure guest safety?

- QSFB involves these responsibilities, are you okay with those?

- How do you feel about living with others?

- What would you do if you have a disagreement with a roommate?

- Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

- Are you okay working indoors or outdoors in high pressure environments?

- You may be working in large groups or independently, is this okay?

- Most of the roles at WDW involve working with cleaning chemicals and heavy lifting, is this okay?

There may be a few that I'm forgetting but that's as much as I can remember right now. I wasn't particularly happy with my 'Why do you want to do the program?' answer but I'm pretty confident in all of the rest so hopefully it sees me through.

After all that was done Bec and I waited for all of our friends to finish and then they all had to pop off. Bec and I parted ways as she had to return to the airport. I hung out with my friend Katherine for a while to calm my nerves and she tried to convince me I hadn't done as bad as I thought while we both ate nuggets.

The horrible weather meant that we left the city at 5pm and I didn't get home until around 7.40 but we made it eventually and now I'm just thinking it all over.

Despite the hiccups along the way I had a really good day. Got to meet some lovely people from the facebook group, finally met Jill and the more I think about the interview the more I realize that maybe I didn't do so badly. With any luck the next few weeks will fly by and we'll know the results soon enough.

- Lily

P.s. My party is in just over 3 weeks so I'll be posting a lot about preparations for that until results come in. Hope you enjoy party talk.

What's In My Bag?

Hi all!

We've been getting a lot of questions recently on the group in regards to what you should bring with you to the interview. As far as we know the only thing you REALLY need is photo ID but because I'm a preparation maniac I've filled my bag with all manner of things that I could need throughout the course of the day. And because I'm an over-sharer I thought I might show them to you.

So here's a pic of all of my junk laid out as nicely as I could manage.

We need to go deeper!

1: The Handbag

Isn't it lovely? Picked this little baby up 30% off at Forever New. Purely because all of my other bags are really unprofessional, a little bit dirty and mostly broken.

2: Disney Folder

Much document. Such information. 

This cute little folder is just for all of my Disney documents. It's got my PSSF (original and copies), my passport (original and copies), a printout of my interview booking confirmation email, my cover letter, resume and references from my current employer.

I've also chucked a pen and notepad in there in case I need to take some notes. 

3: The Purse

This one is possibly the most important not just personally but for the interview as well. Before you begin your interview they will check your ID to make sure you are who you say you are. So don't forget that. Other things you might need are your public transport passes (we use a system called Miki but that's only for Victoria) and cash or credit/debit card so you can go out after your interview and eat your insecurities. That last one might just be me.

4: Make-up Touch Up Supplies

These are the kind of items you might need to make sure your face stays on all day. I've got my translucent powder and brush, setting spray, lip gloss/lipstick (still haven't decided which one I'm going with), double ended eyeliner and mascara. With any luck this will be enough to keep everything where it needs to be from 8am when I leave my house to 3.45pm when my interview is done. 

And it's all packed into my Little Mermaid make-up bag for a little extra Disney magic.

5: First-Aid (?) Case

Not quite sure what to call this weird assortment of items but we'll just roll with it. 

In this lovely little baggy I've got some pain-killers and band-aids in case of stress headache or heel blisters. Lots of paw paw ointment and lip balm to keep my lips from cracking. Hair ties and hair pins to keep the puff in check. And lastly, gum because I'll probably end up having lunch between the presentation and my interview and I'd much prefer my breath to smell like lemon & lime rather than whatever I had to snack on (probably sushi cause it's just so yum). 

Don't chew gum in the presentation or interview though. That's just silly. 

6: A Book

Not for any particular reason other than I have to read this damn thing for class. I'm hoping that if I read it on the train on the way in I can distract myself from my crazy life for at least a little while. 

7: Lucky Pen

Not sure if I've spoken about this pen on here before. I got it at the presentation I went to last May. Sadly I wasn't allowed to apply but I won this lovely Mickey pen during one of the trivia breaks. I carry it with me now for good luck even though it doesn't write anymore. Hopefully, it proves its worth on Tuesday. 

8: Deodorant

This one is more of a 'just in case' type deal. I'm going to be using one of those clinical protection deodorants that you put on the night before and they protect you for 24 hours. But I'm not 100% confident that it works so I'm taking some spray on to make sure I'm protected if it stops working.

9: Tissues

Whether the cold I just got rid of decides to come back to haunt me or if my make-up starts drifting it's good to have these on me. Also, when I come out of the interview and spontaneously burst into tears they'll definitely come in handy. Just me again?

10 & 11: Camera and Phone

I'd like to introduce you to my brand spanking new camera. Readers meet Canon IXUS 265HS. IXUS 265HS meet the readers. I'll be vlogging my whole interview day to give my audience the most detailed and accurate account of the day possible. So this little guy will be hanging out in my bag ready to capture my adventures. 

I'll also have my phone on me to update my friends in all caps throughout the day. 

12: Keys

Gotta get back into my house somehow. Also couldn't resist the opportunity to show off my Emmett keychain. He's just so damn cute.

13: Phone Charger

I'm going to be out for most of the day so I want to make sure my phone can last with me.

14: Mickey Sunglasses

The weather  down in Melbourne is starting to warm up and the last couple of days the sun has been bright and shiny despite the air still being a tad chilly. To make sure I don't hurt my beautiful eyeballs I'm bringing along some shades. The Mickey pattern is just an added bonus. It obviously makes them twice as effective. 

15: Minnie Mouse Watch

I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to have this in my bag or actually on my wrist. It's definitely something I wan't to have on me to keep track of the time without checking my phone but it doesn't really match what I'm wearing. So if it's not adorning my arm it'll definitely tucked into my bag. 

So this has just been a quick run down of everything that's coming with me on the day. Honestly the only things you actually NEED are your photo ID and you. Obviously, depending on your own personal circumstances all the little extra things will be different but I hope this at least gets you started on thinking about what you could need. Being like a boy scout never hurt anyone. 

- Lily

On The Home Stretch

Hi all!

I've been meaning to make this post for a few days but I haven't been entirely sure what to say. Even when I only had one week left I couldn't properly find the words to express how I was (and still am) feeling. This one is a hard one for me. Because even though it feels like I'm at the beginning of this crazy adventure it's actually more like the mid-point. Or, if lady luck doesn't see fit to send kindness my way, it could very well be the end.

I've been waiting for this moment, this day, this event, to come for over two years. I've been close before, so close I could taste it, and it wasn't to be. But this time it's real, this time it's coming. After all the preparation that I've done since Spring of 2012 I still can't help but feel unprepared. Maybe not so much for the interview but for everything else. Being rejected. Being accepted. Telling my family.

All of the things that could happen swim around in my head over and over until I'm dizzy for all the chasing. No matter how much I try not to think about how quickly time is passes it still ticks on and on anyway bringing things ever closer.

So in five days from now I will snug in my bed, trying to sleep, thinking of everything that could go wrong and everything that could go right. In five days and some change I'll be interviewing with recruiting. In six days my fate will be well and truly in their hands.

- Lily

P.s. I'll definitely be doing a Important Stuff and maybe a Story Time on the interview. So keep a look out for that and wish me luck.

The Day Fast Approaches...

Hi all!

I know my last post was just essentially a countdown but that's all my life is at the moment. Countdown to interview, news, birthday, Christmas, New Year, departure!

All of this hardly seems real. I'm going about my (relatively) normal day to day life but with a little extra panic. There are so many things I have to do. I still have to fill in that question sheet that I made, I still have to practice my ASL, I still have to find someone to make my cake, I still have to write my speech for if I get accepted and another one in case I don't, I still have to apply for courses for next year (if I don't get into the program), I still have to buy a camera, I still have to watch all of the Disney movies (five to go guys).

My life is a mess.

Coupled with all of the assignments I have due in the next few weeks I honestly don't think it's all going to get done.

And now that the interview is exactly two weeks away I'm really feeling under the pump. The only thing I'm thankful for is that I'm working full time hours at the moment (for free though) to distract me from all the things I would be stressing about.

So whether I'm prepared or not you'll be hearing about my interview in fourteen days. Wish me luck!

- Lily

Tick Tick Tick

Hi all!

This post isn't going to be so much about words but about numbers. I spend so much time talking here that I don't often stop to think about the digits. Until today.

I've always known that things were approaching fast. I mean, time is a universal invariance. It doesn't just stop because I forget about it. But I'd never quite thought about exactly how quickly important events were approaching. When you think about big milestones in your life you always brush them off and say 'Oh, that's ages away.' until suddenly it comes right around the corner and hits you in the face. And this time has been no different.

This morning I opened up my countdown app only to have these numbers staring back at me.

21 days, 1 hrs, 27 mins, 47 secs

And it scared the crap out of me. 

In exactly three weeks, get that THREE, I would be on the train heading to my presentation. Even now I think about where I will be in three weeks. Exactly 21 days from now it'll all be over. Out of my hands. Gone. 

And it got me thinking, what else is coming? So here they are, your numbers, with a side order of surprise. 

Interview: 3 weeks

Acceptance/NLIC: 5 weeks

21st Birthday: 6 weeks, 3 days

Christmas: 18 weeks, 2 days

New Years: 19 weeks, 2 days

Departure: 19 weeks, 5 days

Check In: 20 weeks

Consider, if you will, that I applied 17 weeks and 4 days ago and it feels like only yesterday. In another 17 weeks and four days I'll be saying goodbye to most of my family with only mere days before I depart.

They say time flies when you're having fun but I did not realize I was having that much fun.

- Lily

Important Stuff: Preparing For Your Interview

Hi all!

This post probably comes a little earlier than I was expecting to post it but when I thought long and hard about it I realized that I started preparing for my interview months before I even applied. Considering how early I was researching I dare say that others were too. I could even go so far as to say that people reading this now are probably a few weeks if not months away from their interviews. So it seems only logical that I give my interview related advice as soon as physically possible.

When preparing for the interview one must consider the four whats.

- What should I bring?
- What should I wear?
- What should I say?

And lastly:

- The surprise 'What...?' You have to read all the way to the end for that one.

As we always do in these posts, let's go through them one by one.

What should I bring?

Firstly, you should bring your glorious self. But that's an obvious one.

In terms of objects that are easier to pack in a handbag though there are a few things I'd advise taking along with you. Including but not limited to:

- Setting powder/Setting spray/Whatever you use to keep your make-up attached to your face. The presentation goes for at least an hour and depending on when your interview time is you could be waiting a while before you see the recruiters. You will want to make sure that your make-up (provided you're wearing some) stays put all day and is still there by the time the recruiters get a good look at you.

- Identification.  At some job interviews they want to see proof that who they're interviewing is the person who applied for the job. So don't bother trying to sneak a charismatic person in there to do it for you cause they'll check.

- Documents. Now I'm not sure if these are 100% necessary but I will be taking along a folder containing originals and copies of everything Disney has sent us/asked for so far. Including my passport, drivers license, PSSF, resume, cover letter, etc. I will also be taking a few things they didn't ask for such as references from my current employer. Again, not sure if it'll be needed but good to have it along anyway.

- A notepad, pen and highlighter. Disney will probably give you some kind of brochure/document with all the details of the program but it's important to make note of anything you find particularly stands out. Whether it be the cost of housing, the names of the recruiters or the contact details of the alumni, there's sure to be something that you'll want to write down. Make like a boy scout and be prepared.

- A watch. This may seem silly but it's a tactical move on your part. Disney doesn't take kindly to mobile phones, as most companies do, so it's much more professional to wear a nice watch to the interview. It'll also (hopefully) ensure that you're punctual without giving off the wrong impression.

These are probably the most important things to take with you. Obviously you'll have things on you that people carry around everywhere these days like your phone and your purse/wallet. Some smaller items I'd recommend taking that aren't necessary are mints (not gum) to make sure your breath is minty fresh, a water bottle (don't want a dry mouth on your big day) and some lip balm (same with dry lips).

MOVING RIGHT ALONG

What should I wear?

This is a very simple question with a short and a long answer. The short answer is 'business casual'. The long answer is, well, a little more complicated.

In your research you may have come across something called 'Disney Look'. For those unfamiliar with 'Disney Look' it is Disney's out-of-costume dress code for it's employees or 'cast members'. Disney Look dictates a number of strict rules regarding what you can and can't wear. Even the things you can wear have to be certain colours, materials, lengths, etc. I may be being a little too dramatic here. It's mostly common sense stuff with a few exceptions (apparently they have a 'four finger' rule when it comes to sleeves and if your four fingers are smaller than the assessor's four fingers it's off home to change for you). A link to the Disney College Program's list of Disney Look guidelines (definitely abridged as the Disney Look Book is a lot more detailed) for men and women can be found here and here respectively.

BUT

In describing Disney Look to you I fail to mention one thing. You don't have to be in Disney Look for your interview. Yup, that's right. What I always say to my fellow applicants is: 'Aim for Disney Look but don't worry if you fall short.' While Disney will send you home from Traditions if you don't meet Disney look they definitely will not send you packing at the interview.

The easiest way I can describe what you 'should' wear is what you would wear if you were to work in an office. You're sitting on the train during peak hour and what do you see? A sea of people in business casual attire who are probably weirded out by you staring at their clothes. Pencil skirts, business slacks, shiny polished shoes. Perfect examples of what you should wear to your interview. If you need a description of business casual attire that's a little less creepy you'll find one here.

Also, just quickly, for makeup it's recommended that you go with a 'natural' look. A foundation that's the right shade to match your face/neck, minimal contouring, avoiding extreme eye looks and a lipstick that's not too different from your natural lip colour (I know red makes you look fierce but maybe put it aside just this once) would be perfect. A good 'natural' makeup tutorial can be found here.

NEXT!

What should I say? 

This one's the trickiest question yet because it's all about personal choice, experience and motivation.

The answer to this question mostly stems from what question you're being asked. A friend and I did some careful research to find and compile a list of questions you may be asked in your interview. If you'd like to give it a read you can find it here. While this list may be useful to you it is meant only as a guide. I've personally used it just to organize my thoughts and formulate general ideas of answers that I can explain in more depth during the actual interview.

What you should say is up to you but you have to be conscious of what impression you are giving the recruiter. For example if you are asked 'Why do you want to do the program?' and you reply 'Because I want to party hardy.' then you're definitely giving them the wrong impression. If you reply 'Because I want to meet and socialize with people from all over the world.' that's essentially the same answer just worded in a way that gives a positive impression. When formulating your answers you need to be conscious, even if you have the purest and least party hardy of intentions, of what impression you are giving the recruiters.

Another example of this is if you are keen to do Attractions and you are asked the question 'A guest is too short to ride a ride, what do you do?' and you reply 'I tell them they cannot ride the ride because they are too short.' that gives the impression that you are not willing to even attempt to give that guest a positive experience. If you reply 'I would explain to that guest that the ride is not safe, find out what in particular about the ride appealed to them and recommend them another ride with a similar appeal point that has a lower/no height restriction.' that gives off the impression that you are willing to interact with the guest and try to make sure you can provide them with a positive experience despite the situation they may be in.

Another time you must consider the kind of impression you are giving the recruiters is when they give you an opportunity to ask questions. Always have at least one or two questions prepared to ensure that you appear eager to participate. However, there are certain types of questions you shouldn't ask so let's go over them quickly now.

Questions you shouldn't ask:

- Questions you will find out the answer to at a later date. These questions are just a waste of the recruiter's time and yours. Questions like 'How are our roommates assigned?', 'What visa form do I have to fill in?', 'What DVDs can I borrow from the learning centre?' Silly. These questions will be answered if you progress to the next stage of the process or with a quick google search. There is no point in asking a question that has no relevance to your current stage of the process.

- Questions that have already been answered. Do I really need to explain this one? The presentation is over an hour long and there will be a lot of information flying around. Remember what has been said and you won't look like an ass. Questions like 'Where will I live?', 'Where will I work?', 'What is your name?' will all be answered in the presentation and do not require further inquiry.

- Questions that give off a bad impression. That's right, questions give off bad impressions too. Questions like 'How much time can I take off?', 'How much will I be paid?', 'How often to the party buses drop off and pick up at Vista?' all give off the impression that you are not there for the right reasons. Make sure you think long and hard about what you want your questions to say about you.

And now we get to the happy part. The good questions. Good questions are questions that show how interested you are in the program and may not actually be questions you want the answer to. If you have a question burning in the back of your mind that you desperately want answered make sure to consider again what impression it will make before you ask it. So without further ado...

Questions you should ask:


- Questions that illustrate your interest in your current circumstances. Some of the best questions you could ask related directly or indirectly to your chances of continuing on to do the program. Questions like 'What are you looking for in the perfect *insert specific high interest role* cast member candidate?', 'Is there a limit to the number of applicants you accept?', 'When can I expect to hear back?' (generally ask this one last) are all questions that illustrate your interest in your chances and in what Disney is looking for in potential employees.

- Questions that expand on information already given. While it's a big no-no to ask something that has already been answered, further exploring a topic already brought up is a big yes-yes. For example, they may mention during the presentation that there are certain stipulations in the visa that mean you must show them how you are experiencing American culture (it is a cultural exchange after all). A question you may ask is 'You mentioned *insert explanation here*. What would you recommend I do to truly experience American culture?' It gives the impression that you genuinely care about the exchange of culture and that you were paying attention during the presentation. Simples.

It's also a good thing to ask them personal questions that expand on topics covered. For example if the recruiter mentions their history with Disney you could ask them (depending on what their particular history is) 'What is your favorite thing about working for Disney/What was your favorite part of the College Program?'. This establishes a connection with the recruiter and you might even learn something cool about the program along the way.

- Questions that give the right impression. These are questions, as with the one above about culture, that give the impression you are there for the experience and to be a good little boy or girl. Instead of asking how to take time off, try asking questions like 'Where do you recommend I visit/What do you recommend I do to truly experience American culture before/after my program?', 'Are there any activities/places in Florida that are 'must do/see' before the end of my program?'. These give the impression that you are interested in the culture and the things that the program has to offer outside of Disney.

Now that the questions are all over with we can move on the the last but definitely not least....

What the hell am I talking about?

Ha-HA! You've all been duped.

I want to make it abundantly clear that everything I've said in the above post is all useful information that you all should take to heart but it's all a guideline. Plain and simple.

There have been people show up to the interviews in jeans and a hoodie who still got accepted. Their are people who brought along a reference from every single job they've ever had (and made sure their lips were lovely and supple) who have been NLIC'd. And let's face it, there are probably people who have asked about pay who have been accepted too.

The most important thing to remember is to relax, be yourself and be friendly. The reason people always talk about how relaxed the interviews are is because the recruiters want to see you in as close to your natural state as possible. They want to see how you interact with strangers. If you open up in conversation. They want to see YOU. So give it to them. As long as you're open, friendly and passionate they won't care how red your lipstick is. Out of all the advice I gave in this post the most important piece by far is the very first piece under the very first question in the very first line.

"Firstly, you should bring your glorious self. But that's an obvious one."

- Lily

P.s. These are all my pieces of advice to you before I've completed my own interview. I fully expect some of this advice to change once I've been through the process myself. As such I will probably end up doing a 'Revised Interview Preparation Advice' post later down the track. Once it is posted I will add the link here.

The Important Stuff: Interview Invite and Role Checklist

Hi all!

The interview invites for Australian applicants have finally arrived and I'm here to tell ya all about it.

So on the special day you should receive two emails. One titled "Invite to Schedule Presentation & Interview" and another titled "Complete Your Role Checklist!" Such excitement.

I definitely recommend booking an interview time first so we'll address that straight up.

Interview Invite:

Once you've calmed down enough to be able to see straight, go ahead and click on the email. Inside is some introductory blah blah but let's dispense with the pleasantries and get to the stuff you care about.

The only thing that's super important to take note of is that the email explicitly states you have five days to book your time or they will assume you are no longer interested. I can't think of any reason why a person would leave it longer than a few hours at most but hey, I'm not here to assume or judge people's circumstances. Moving on!

When you click on the link it will take you to a page with a little calendar on it. If you already know (through your school's career site or newsletter service) what date the presentations are at your university then go ahead and click that date. If you are not aware of when you would like to interview (either because you have not been informed by your uni or because presentations are not being held at your school at all) then click through the dates until you find a date and location that suits you.

Once you've selected a date the options for interview times will pop up. The options are all in hour long lots or sessions. I assume that they'll allow anywhere from three to six people to book into each lot as interviews tend to run from 10-30 minutes depending on how sidetracked the conversation gets. Never mind the science of it though. Select a time that suits you and move to the next page.

This next page is simply a confirmation page. It also allows you to cancel or reschedule your time. If you have received a confirmation email from the recruiting team and you have no wish to change your time then you're done with this section. Congratulations!

Confirmation page. Yay I did it!

(If the close button doesn't work then you can just exit the page like you would any normal tab. Make sure you've received your confirmation email before exiting though)

Role Checklist:

The next stage here is the role checklist. Basically this is the part where you tell them where you would prefer to work while you're completing the program. Go ahead and open up that second 'Complete Your Role Checklist!' email.

This one actually contains two links. The first is to the role checklist and the second is to DOC. It asks that once you have completed the role checklist you make sure all of your documents are uploaded. As I've already done this I will not explain it further but if you want to read up on DOC, my previous post on it is here.

The link will take you to the role checklist which is a lot more detailed than it has been in previous years. This one lists the roles individually with details of the job and an accompanying video for each. Here's an example of one of them.

Underneath all the information is a little drop down list where you indicate your level of interest for the role. Select from high, moderate, low or no interest before passing on to the next section. Make sure you review the information carefully (like I totally did) and make sure you put down a preference for every role.

Keep in mind though that this is just you submitting your preferences. You may still receive an offer from Disney that is not one of your preferred roles. I highly doubt they would assign you a role that you put 'no interest' for but there is a chance that you could get any of the roles that you put as low or moderate.

How you select your preferences is totally up to you. I personally put 'no interest' for none of the roles while others have put 'no interest' for all but a few. It all depends on your personal choice and whether you feel you could complete a role if it were offered to you. When considering the less popular roles like Custodial and QSFB I said to myself 'Would you still accept this were it offered to you?" and my answer for every role was a resounding "YES" so I put at least 'low interest' for every role.

Once all the drop-downing is over there is one final step for you to complete. There's a huge chunk of information down the bottom that makes sure you understand that the roles will not be a walk in the park and some have special uniform policies because they involve food handling. Be sure to read this over carefully then add your name and the date to the bottom. Voila!

Now that you've done this you can give yourself a hearty pat on the back. You should have not only received a confirmation email but also your dashboard will have changed. After the invite was sent it will have changed to 'Action Required' and now that you've completed the required action it should look something like this.

Note that not only has the status bar changed to 'Interview Stage' but the details of the interview are listed in the bottom right hand corner.

That's it from me for now. I will be making a Story Time post for my interview invite so if you want to read it and have a laugh I'll pop the link here. And I may make a post in the next few days about business casual attire but I might decide better of it and leave that one to the experts. 

If you've come this far, keep your head up. We're nearly out of these woods.

- Lily