Digital Marketing & PR Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed working at The Walt Disney Studios as the level of responsibility was just right, or at least adjusted to allow me to apply my skills and knowledge without becoming too stressed or burnt out. The opportunities were amazing from employee screenings, to helping out on junkets, taking part in workshops - there are many additions to the job that make it enjoyable. Also summer hours where you finish at 3pm on Fridays are a massive bonus.

I feel that I was able to demonstrate my value to colleagues who I worked closely with, although I did not realize this straight away as it had to be earned for. Demonstrating value is difficult and is not instant, although my colleagues did help me understand which jobs and tasks I was good at and identify areas where I could improve.

My manager gave me ample support during my placement, I have been suffering a fair bit with my mental health which took a turn for the worst during my placement, which with the stress of my job and the fast moving nature of the department meant that I don't think I always received the right help or support at work. They did take a genuine interest in my well being though.

The amount of work you are required to do varies massively between line of business and position, my role which is split between EMEA and UK meant that I was busy overall, with some months being more quiet (no film releases) and then other months where I am having to stay an extra hour after work to get all my work done.

I was given a lot of responsibility at Disney, having to organise the logistics for our influencer events inviting high-profile influencers and celebrities to London and hosting them for 2-3 days. Apart from this, singing off email materials, web pages, assets and copy were sometimes my responsibility which would go out across EMEA.

I developed many skills whilst working at Disney, mostly soft skills such as communication, prioritization, organisation and team work. I also developed broader business skills learning how a corporation operates nationally and internationally and the issues it faces from varying perspectives. Working internationally with the markets will me prepare to study International Marketing module in final year.

The office was a great atmosphere with Disney merchandise, music, posters everywhere it's a great place to work. The people are lovely too, although it would become very stressful in the Studio department due to the volume of work we had to get through. Everyone is lovely though, you get to know all the interns who say hello if you see them.

The internship is very organised - before you join you are added to a private Facebook group to get to know the other interns, arrange living for next year. Everyone receives a "Welcome to Disney" introduction session where you are run through how the company operates, brand guidelines, objectives of the business & region and run through the various lines of business. There is online training through D Tools HR which you have to periodically complete and many opportunities throughout the year.

You can meet regularly with your manager for 1 to 1s to go through anything you both want to discuss, in addition there are many online courses which you are required to complete during your time here. In addition, there are many events and talks you can book yourself onto!

It really depends as Disney do not offer graduate schemes but they do have a habit of re-employing interns! I would say employment prospects are good especially with the recent acquisition of 21st Century Fox but that being said, the structure of the business is very tall and so progression is an issue many people have here.

Massively - met some great friends from working here at TWDC. Many of us have gone on holiday together to various places, had many parties and days out. The intern social life here is fantastic so make sure you make the most of it, if you join here :) Bonus if you're living with other interns.

The cost of living is quite expensive as the office is based in Hammersmith, West London. Transport is fairly cheap and Disney can help with buying a 12 month travelcard for you, and you pay them back in installments. Rent can range anywhere between £650 - £900 but there are many shops & supermarkets around. Cafe in the office is decently priced too.

Nightlife is good as the office is in London - so you can get anywhere from Hammersmith as three lines stop here. After work there are many pubs around the shopping centre, high road and by the river with varying prices. There is a Wetherspoons, Belushis & Be at One nearby which we may have ended up in a few times on a Friday ;)

There are many opportunities here at Disney - there is a running event calendar where events and talks are posted on a regular basis. There is also a corporate citizenship team that runs the VolunTEARS team where you can sign up to volunteer in the local community. There are also several business resource groups such as Pride, Trust, Diversity & Women in Business. Characters sometimes visit too :)