In fact most people who work for Walt Disney World (WDW) do not go through the college program. Those are only a small percentage of the workforce that come in for a 4 month time period. If you are looking to become a WDW cast member contact them through the WDW jobs site here.

You do not have to be a student to work at Disney; the company employs over 200,000 people in a vast range of professional, technical, and service roles that only require a high school diploma or relevant experience. However, the famous Disney College Program is a specific, highly competitive paid internship that requires applicants to be currently enrolled in an accredited college or have graduated within the past 24 months. For those not in school, "full-time" and "part-time" roles in the parks are open to anyone over 18. For specialized corporate roles—such as Engineering (Imagineering), Legal, or Marketing—Disney typically requires a university degree. In 2026, Disney also offers the "Disney Aspire" program, which pays 100% of tuition for eligible hourly employees who want to earn a degree while working, proving that the company values education as a path for internal career growth.