Junior animation student, Makenzie Leigh, at her Disney College Program graduation.
Hey, my name is Makenzie Miller and I participated in the Disney College Program from
June 9th 2025 to January 2nd 2026.
Originally I applied just for the heck of it, not really expecting anything to come
out of it but knowing it could be a good experience if I were to be accepted. Although
after speaking to a family member of mine who previously worked for Pixar in the art
department, he told me it would be very beneficial if I were to want to work with
Disney/Pixar/Affiliates using my degree.
For my internship I was sent to Animal Kingdom to work in Entertainment Costuming.
Which essentially means I worked 'backstage' to prepare performers both in Animal
Kingdom itself, and Beyond Parks (which includes all resort locations and some of
the shows). Day-to-day work could range from a couple different things, as each 'track'
or shift duties, changed depending on time of day and where you were sent. However,
more often than not I was sent to the "Hoop Dee Doo Revue" show at Fort Wilderness.
Here, I would prepare costumes for performers, help them get ready for 'show,' and
be present backstage in case of any mishaps. While sometimes you are only sent to
one location for the day, it is often that you actually visit multiple places in order
to keep the 'show' running.
While the program did primarily focus on the work, there were many more opportunities
that participants were able to experience while being present. One of my favorite
things was the many classes interns were able to attend. They can span from leadership
classes to guest appearances, such as Jo Jo Siwa, who was just present, or John Stamos.
Oftentimes I would attend any art classes I could, where I was able to meet some of
the artists currently working for Disney, and learn about concept art and the history
of animation in the company.
During my program, I continued as a part-time student at Wichita State University,
and it was by far the hardest part about the program. Juggling full-time work at all
hours of the day and attempting to stay up to date on timelines for school was definitely
a challenge. I was not perfect for sure, and definitely slipped a couple times through
the craziness of it all, but I appreciate both WSU and all of my teachers at the time
for working with me, and helping me succeed even with my increasingly crazy schedule.
However, the people I was able to meet and the people who have inspired me the most
made the entire thing worth it. I think out of anyone, my biggest inspiration, and
the reason I am in animation in the first place, would be my cousin Craig Foster.
He previously worked for Pixar in the art department and has credits in movies such
as, "Up," all three "Cars" movies, "Inside Out," and "Ratatouille," as well as a handful
of others. He has always inspired me to be passionate and hard working, and without
him, I am unsure where I would be right now. He is the reason ultimately, that I took
this chance, both in going into the art field, and more recently, doing the Disney
College Program to completion.
For anyone looking to apply for the Disney College Program, it can be incredibly overwhelming.
You are constantly working with a wide range of people in a wide range of places and
with the sporadic hours that will grace your schedule, it can be easy to start to
burn out. However, the way you go about it, and the friends you make can transform
it into one of the most unforgettable experiences (in a good way). Meeting people
and finding connections is my biggest advice that I could possibly give. If I were
to be gifted with hindsight back in April when I received that acceptance email, I
would have been much less anxious to confirm my spot and if it is something you are
thinking of attempting too, I say 100% go for it.