How to gain hospitality and tourism experience at Disney

If you're interested in an events, hospitality and tourism management career, Walt Disney World in Florida is the ultimate place to learn.

Often described as the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World is the most visited tourism destination in the world and still manages to create a unique experience for each of its 57,000-plus daily visitors.

UQ’s Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management provides students with the chance to gain hands-on learning and work experience at Walt Disney World via a field study tour and cultural exchange program. In addition to training with the best in the world, students who participate in these programs return with newfound confidence and friends for life. They also find these experiences open doors to future employment opportunities.

Learn more about these exciting programs from 3 of our graduates. They share how they’ve applied these opportunities to their careers and their advice for others interested in this field.

2 ways UQ students can gain hospitality and tourism industry experience with Disney

1. Disney field study tour

Discover Walt Disney World as a guest with a critical eye on a 10-day trip with a small group of UQ students accompanied by UQ staff. The study tour is offered as an elective for domestic and international students who have successfully completed their first semester in these UQ programs:

• Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management
• Bachelor of Business Management
• Master of Tourism, Hotel and Event Management.

Course fees apply.

What you need to know

• Spend a day in each of the 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios) analysing the design and management of themed guest experiences. Plus, participate in a 5-hour behind-the-scenes tour of Magic Kingdom to gain an insight into how Disney delivers seamless service and encounters.
• Visit a selection of the more than 25 themed resorts to assess their theming and customer service.
• Hear from Disney cast members including managers and UQ students working with the company.
• Experience a Cirque du soleil show exclusive to Disney that merges real people with animation.
• Participate in a 3-hour Disney workshop on animation.  

Katie’s field study tour experience

The idea of studying overseas initially felt out of Katie Button’s comfort zone. But now, she says completing the Disney field study tour was the highlight of her time at university. As a wedding and events executive at Emporium Hotels South Bank, Katie works with couples to plan the most amazing day of their lives and creates exceptional guest experiences every day.

"Going to Disney at the age of 18 was an opportunity I wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for UQ," she says.

"At the time, I was living out of home and working full time while studying full time. So being able to use my HECS loan to fund the trip made it feasible.

"The Disney study tour was a great way to experience some of the concepts our lecturers and tutors spoke about in class. An example would be how the entrance to Disney World smells like popcorn to heighten your senses and make you feel like you are at the movie theatres. As soon as I walked in, it was magical. 

"We explored all the parks Disney has available, along with the restaurants and activities they offer. It was amazing to stay at one of the Disney resorts, to see how they treated check ins and guest queries and what offers they include.

"I also met some amazing people who I still consider close friends today."

2. Cultural exchange program

Get paid to develop experience design, events, hospitality and tourism management skills with the best in the world during a 5-month exchange program.

What you need to know

• Meet, live and work with international students from all around the world.
• Live on property in brand new apartments with free transport provided between parks.
• Enjoy free entry to all parks as well as huge discounts on food and merch.
• All roles are guest-facing. You could work in food and beverage service, customer service, life guarding, as a character attendant or in merchandise.
• Optional cruise to Disney’s exclusive, private island.
• While this program is open to all UQ students, US government regulations and visa requirements require you to be an Australian or New Zealand resident to participate.
• You’ll need to take a semester out of your studies for this chance to jump-start your career. Or, you can wait until you graduate, provided you commence the program within 6 months of graduating.

Laura’s cultural exchange program experience

Laura Armistead first fell in love with Walt Disney World during a family trip. So, she was excited to visit again by taking part in UQ’s cultural exchange program.

"During my studies, there was a lot of talk about Disney being a global leader in providing excellent customer experiences," she says.

"We’d hear about the awesome initiatives Disney uses to create memories. So, when I heard about the cultural exchange program, I was excited to have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and be part of the magic.

"I worked in food and beverage service at a large quick-service restaurant. I also got to work at a revolving character-dining restaurant. In these roles, I got to spend time creating magical moments for a large volume of guests to enhance their experience.

"During my time at Disney, I made lifelong friends with the people I lived and worked with. Since then, these connections have given me the chance to travel around the world visiting them. I have a whole community of people I can call upon in life."

Madeline’s learning experience: field study tour and cultural exchange program

Growing up in a small Queensland town, Madeline Ward wanted to see more of the world.

"I knew I couldn’t do that if I stayed in Maryborough. That inspired me to dedicated myself to my high school studies, which led to me getting into UQ and moving to Brisbane," she says.

In her third year of study, Madeline signed up for a life-changing opportunity to gain practical experience overseas at Disney World.

"I’ve always been a Disney fan. It was a dream of mine to work there and when I saw I could do a Disney study tour as part of my degree, I signed up.

"The study tour piqued my interest as it showed behind the scenes aspects of Disney and the planning that goes into making the magic happen."

This opportunity then saw Madeline return to Disney as part of the cultural exchange program. During this time, she worked as a vacation planner in the front booths validating and selling tickets and experiences at the parks.

"My favourite part of working at Disney was that after my shift, I would change outfits and hop on the safari or Avatar flight of passage ride before heading home. Even as an employee, the magic when visiting the parks as a guest never wore off.”

Applying the magic to their graduate hospitality and tourism careers

Laura, Madeline and Katie all say the friendships and connections they made during their time at Disney will last forever. But that’s not the only thing they took away from these once in a lifetime opportunities.

"The main lesson that Disney instils in staff is that every guest deserves a memorable experience. Because of my time at Disney, I view any event I’m planning through the lens of the guest. That means I aim to have elements that make the event magical and memorable for them," Madeline says.

Laura and Katie agree.

"One of the main insights I took from the trip was that guest experiences aren’t just things you can see," Katie says.

"It’s about how a place makes you feel by enhancing all the senses and creating an environment where you feel free and happy."

"Disney is incredible at creating totally immersive customer experiences. They consider everything to build on a theme, from the scent of each area, lighting, activities and food, right down to the bins. I think that’s the biggest thing I learned – how to design interesting and totally enjoyable events."

"My current role is centred on designing event experiences for clients, so this is a key skillset I get to use every day," says Laura.

Advice for working in events, tourism and hospitality management

If you’re interested in getting into the events, tourism and hospitality management industry, Madeline’s advice is to make the most of all the extracurricular opportunities available to you as a student.

"Completing activities like the field study tour and cultural exchange program are a great way to stand out from others doing the same degree as you," she says.

"Especially when working in events, opportunities can happen through the networks you build."

"I aspire to be challenged, but my main goal for any job I go into is to love it. We spend most of our time at work and deserve a role we enjoy and are valued in.

"The main thing I love about working in events is that the industry is always changing and growing. Creating an event from scratch, managing it on the day and seeing it all come together gives me a great feeling of accomplishment."

Katie’s advice is to challenge yourself.

"It was scary to apply for something that was so out of my comfort zone," she says.

"But the Disney field study tour was one of the highlights of my entire time at university and I’m so glad I applied. Getting out of your comfort zone will always make you grow. It teaches you so much more about yourself and how to adapt to an ever-changing environment."

Laura’s advice for others is: "follow your curiosity."

"At UQ, I learned from top-rated lecturers who challenged me to think differently and consider new, innovative ideas. We actively engaged with case studies in class. I recall getting to analyse a Queensland-based event marketing plan and offering feedback based on meticulous research of the event’s opportunities and weaknesses."

"Even as students, we were afforded the opportunity to offer our ideas to the event organiser, and in turn, get feedback and develop ourselves."

"It’s been exciting seeing the number of major events being celebrated in Brisbane during the last few years, like the Commonwealth Games and the FIFA World Cup. I can’t wait to see what opportunities the Brisbane 2032 Games bring for those of us in the events, tourism and hospitality industry."