...interns are everywhere. The bellboy carrying luggage...the monorail “pilot” steering a train at forty miles per hour, the...young woman scanning tickets...They corral visitors into line for Space Mountain, dust sugar over funnel cakes, sell mouse ears, sweep up candy wrappers...Disney runs one of the world’s largest internship programs. Each year, between 7,000 and 8,000 college students and recent graduates work full-time, minimum-wage, menial internships...typical stints last four to five months, but the “advantage programs” may last up to seven months. Rather than offer traditional summer internships, Disney’s schedule is determined by the company’s manpower needs, requiring students to temporarily suspend their schooling or continue it on Disney property and on Disney terms. The interns work entirely at the company’s will without sick days or time off, without grievance procedures, without guarantees of workers’ compensation or protection against harassment or unfair treatment...in certain parts of the park, at certain times of day, they comprise more than 50 percent of staff.
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