Hard Truth #5 About the Disney College Program: The Hotel Discount Is Kinda a Scam…

I don’t care who you are or what you say: if you sign up for the Disney College Program, you’re doing it (at least in part) for the FREE access to Disney World. Who doesn’t want a free Annual Pass?!

Magic Kingdom

Let’s face it. No one signs up for the Disney College Program for the pay. No one is doing it for the fame and glory. But Disney hands out some pretty sweet dining, merchandise, and hotel discounts, and THAT is a great perk of the job. Or is it…?

Let me back up. First, if you’re unfamiliar, the Disney College Program is a special internship for college students and recent graduates. The program offers students the chance to take a semester (or more) off to come and work as a Disney World Cast Member. The hours are long, and the job is exhausting, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with SO MANY great aspects.

Magic Kingdom Cast Member

Now, back to the discounts. As a Disney World Cast Member, you have access to an exclusive staff discount. SCORE! The discount works on merchandise (excluding some items), restaurants (again, select restaurants are not included), and even Disney experiences like hotel reservations and cruises.

I miss that discount sometimes

The discounts change throughout the year, but you can get about 20% off food and merchandise on average.

A Complete Guide To Disney Cast Member Discounts

During my Disney College Program, I was determined to make the most of those deals. In fact, a good portion of my paycheck ended up going right back to Disney. It was basically a circular economy.

Let’s go shopping!

One of the things I was most excited about was the hotel discount. This was my one and only chance to stay at a DELUXE RESORT without spending thousands and thousands of dollars. It was my dream to stay at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort or the Wilderness Lodge; it’s not every day a college student has the funds for such a fancy staycation!

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

All throughout my program, I scanned the Cast Member website for a deal. I looked and I looked, and I saw some incredible discounts. But when I tried to book those 60%-off rooms, I would encounter a message that the room of my dreams was not available. Over and over again. In fact, I never did get to stay at any of the Deluxe Disney World Resorts. Those rooms are booked up QUICKLY!

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Am I saying it’s impossible to find a discounted room with your Cast Member discount? No. Maybe I was just looking at the wrong times! Maybe I was just unlucky! But if you go into the Disney College Program with the goal of staying in a whole bunch of fancy hotels for 50% off, well…you may need to adjust your expectations. That’s all I’m saying.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Just like Disney’s regular discounted rooms, there are only a small number of rooms available under the promotion. And Disney has a LOT of Cast Members, so you’ve got a lot of competition. My best advice is to call the Cast Member hotline (you can find the phone number on the Cast-exclusive booking website) to see if an agent can assist you.