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Thousands upon thousands of people visit the Disney Parks every year, but not quite that many visit with the dream of one day being a performer for these magical places. If you are like me, visiting one of the worldwide Disney Parks just adds to your excitement of the possibilities of employment and you can’t help but be a little giddy. I love meeting characters and it is my dream to one day be in their shoes. But maybe you want to dance in a parade, climb the Matterhorn, or even just have your band play a gig at a park, all of these are possibilities. Check out the Disney Auditions website and head over to the Audition Calender and find one that works for you.
The first step is for you to identify what you want. If you want to climb Matterhorn, don’t go to Princess auditions and if you don’t want to leave the country don’t go to an audition for Disneyland Paris. But if you are open to a variety of options then go to anything that fits you and if you are willing to relocate, why not check out an audition for Paris or Hong Kong.
The second step is to know what you are getting into. I was ‘that girl’ who went to my first Disney audition all prepared with a song and monologue when it was a dance audition. I learned that they are very specific on each post and if they want a song, they will say so, if they want someone old, they will say so, and if you have to be short to fit into the costume, they will say so. But this also goes for if you get the job. My first audition was for the Disney Cruise Line, and since it was during my winter break from school my dad was paranoid about what would happen if I got hired. I was in the mindset that I was just going for the experience, but he has a point, if you can’t stop everything to move or travel then maybe that audition isn’t for you. If you have what it takes then you might get hired and this could mean leaving other jobs or moving a small distance or a big one. Now I’m not saying second guess every audition, but if you know you might get asked to accept a role, then know what you are gonna have to do to do that. But this also works the opposite, don’t quit your job just for one audition (unless you really want to) because you may not get it. Disney has the ability to pass over or accept anyone they want because they have so many people auditioning for them. You many have been told a thousand and one times that you look just like Ariel or Prince Eric, but if they decide that you have a beauty spot in the wrong place or you are a little to voluptuous then there are likely 5 other people that day that look just as close as you and they can pick them instead. Really, go in with an open mind and be prepared for anything.
This is great attire for College Program or Dance auditions

Third is to prepare yourself. You can’t prepare perfectly for every audition, but some do ask that you prepare a cutting of a song, to be ready to show what you can do on several instruments or to bring certain costume pieces with you, it all depends on what it is for. Though sometimes the information is limited on their website, you can also look online to see what other people’s experiences were. Know that when you are going to a dance audition, if you don’t have years of experience in dance, you might make a fool of yourself. Or if you are going to a Disney College Program audition then they are going to do a lot of what they call ‘animation’ exercises where you have to pretend like you are baking a cake or washing a car and this has to be understood without any props. You should also be prepared by being dressed correctly. If you are going to a dance audition, it’s okay to dress like a dancer. If you are going to a Princess audition then you might want to have your hair and make up done and in a nicer outfit. Use good judgment when it comes to what outfit to wear, and note if they say to wear anything specific (ie. Female Polynesian Dancer auditions). Remember that you are auditioning for Disney, so while you may want to show them what kind of body you have, you also don’t want to wear anything too reviling like you might for other dance auditions. Last, give yourself enough time to get there because they don’t let anyone audition that shows up late. Know going in that their may be 200 people in front of you so you might want to get their early.
The last step is to have fun! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that the moves don’t matter as long as you are doing them with a smile. Now, dance auditions focus more on dancing than others (yes, non-dance auditions might have some dancing) but they don’t expect you to be prefect after 5 minutes. If you turn the wrong way or put your hands up in the wrong order, make your smile brighter and they won’t care which hand you put up first. Yes, auditions can be terrifying, but you are also audition for a company that is known for creating fun, don’t let your nerves get to you so much that you don’t show them who you can really be!

This could be you!

I have been to a good handful of auditions myself, which I can only go to when I’m on break from school, but they are always exciting and there are always lots of people. My first audition, for the Disney Cruise Line, there were only 90 people auditioning, but they were only filling 19 roles. When I went to a Dwarfs and Villains audition their was closer to 300 people auditioning. As a side note, anyone who comes with you cant come into the audition area, which is a short walk away from the line up area if you audition at Disneyland, so make sure they bring something to do and realize that you could be gone for several hours. I brought my mom the first time and she sat outside for an hour and a half while I auditioned, but then we hopped over to Downtown Disney for lunch and shopping. Just the opposite, I didn’t bring anyone when I went to a Princess audition because I felt bad making them wait but 80% of the girls audition were released within 10 minutes. So it can be a toss up how long you will be there and make sure anyone you might want to bring with you realizes that. After that, just have fun, be yourself and remember why you want to work for Disney!