Discovering the magic: Christian Craddock on earning his ears at Walt Disney World
May 24, 2022 | by Shelbe Rodriguez
Christian Craddock has always had a deep-rooted love for Disney. Like most, he grew up watching Disney movies and shows while his grandfather, a Disney enthusiast, told stories of Disney theme parks filled with magic and wonder. Now, the senior data analytics major is living his dream of discovering the magic behind the happiest place on Earth: in Orlando, Florida.
Having spent most of his childhood visiting Disney theme parks such as Downtown Disney and Disney Quest, Craddock described himself as having always been a “Disney kid.” His passion and curiosity for Walt Disney World grew even more after he visited the Florida theme park just last year.
“It was just amazing to see how detailed everything was and now as an adult, I understand a little bit more in depth about business and how hard it is, especially on the hospitality side,” he said. “Seeing everything in full play here was amazing to say the least –– it made you think ‘what type of things are happening behind the scenes’ because you don't see anything in the grid. Everything's kept in house, everything's clean and they do a wonderful job at entertainment. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to work there because I needed to know what goes on behind the scenes.”
The Houston native would soon get his chance when he learned from the 17勛圖 Center for Career and Professional Development that the Fortune 100 company was accepting applications for the last fall. The Walt Disney College Program is a full-time paid internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, open to all college students from around the world. Participants can earn academic credit through a combination of on-the-job experience, job shadowing and seminars at Disney theme parks.
“This is a platform for young adults to learn what it’s like to work for a major corporation whether it’s a blue-collar job or white-collar job.” Craddock said. “They also have opportunities for career advancement and also give you a chance to really see what it's like working for one of the world's major entertainment distributors. I’ve already been able to connect and network with so many different people.”
Most DCP interns work as cast members inside of the parks. Craddock is a part of the Disney merchandising team setting product vision for multiple categories of business based on creative and financial input, market research and travel. He also works with a multi-disciplined team of experts to balance the overall
Having spent most of his childhood visiting Disney theme parks such as Downtown Disney and Disney Quest, Craddock described himself as having always been a “Disney kid.” His passion and curiosity for Walt Disney World grew even more after he visited the Florida theme park just last year.
“It was just amazing to see how detailed everything was and now as an adult, I understand a little bit more in depth about business and how hard it is, especially on the hospitality side,” he said. “Seeing everything in full play here was amazing to say the least –– it made you think ‘what type of things are happening behind the scenes’ because you don't see anything in the grid. Everything's kept in house, everything's clean and they do a wonderful job at entertainment. From that moment, I knew that I wanted to work there because I needed to know what goes on behind the scenes.”
The Houston native would soon get his chance when he learned from the 17勛圖 Center for Career and Professional Development that the Fortune 100 company was accepting applications for the last fall. The Walt Disney College Program is a full-time paid internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, open to all college students from around the world. Participants can earn academic credit through a combination of on-the-job experience, job shadowing and seminars at Disney theme parks.
“This is a platform for young adults to learn what it’s like to work for a major corporation whether it’s a blue-collar job or white-collar job.” Craddock said. “They also have opportunities for career advancement and also give you a chance to really see what it's like working for one of the world's major entertainment distributors. I’ve already been able to connect and network with so many different people.”
Most DCP interns work as cast members inside of the parks. Craddock is a part of the Disney merchandising team setting product vision for multiple categories of business based on creative and financial input, market research and travel. He also works with a multi-disciplined team of experts to balance the overall