My fairytale placement at The Walt Disney Company HQ

Back in July 2023, I completed my 12 month internship at The Walt Disney Company HQ in Hammersmith, London, working as the PR intern for Disney Destinations International. Amidst a whirlwind of magical memories with crazy cast members, campaign collaborations, LinkedIn connections and a bank of shameless Instagram posts that I gained over the year, the experiences I had will stick with me forever and I made friends for life. I feel so grateful for the remarkable opportunities I was trusted with, which enabled me to cross paths with inspiring individuals from various areas of the business, including external agencies. As a PR intern, the development of my communication skills and the relationships I have shaped allowed me to confidently represent not only the brand I worked for, but the brand I now carry within myself - both professionally and personally.

My role as PR intern for Disney Destinations International

While on placement I handled the sales, marketing, promotion and publicity of the Disney Parks, Resorts and Disney Cruise Line to UK & Ireland. As part of the PR team, we worked across integrated communication campaigns and strategies for Disney Parks & Resorts, geared towards our UK & Ireland guests – shining the spotlight on beloved destinations like Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Paris and Disney Cruise Line in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Having spent two years studying at Leeds Beckett University, I had built valuable preparation for my industrial placement year. I was able to apply skills learnt from relevant modules surrounding Public Relations to my internship work, my communication skills and confidence had also improved so I was able to network my way around the office. Moving out of my hometown and settling into Leeds in 2020, gave me the courage and independence to navigate moving to London and meeting new people for my placement year.

My full circle moment at Leeds Beckett University

Being offered the placement position at Disney was really a full circle moment for me. Back in 2019 when I was deciding on which university to attend, I initially wanted to study Journalism as a standalone course, until I visited an open day at Leeds Beckett University and learnt about the combination of studying Journalism with Public Relations. Senior lecturer, Shirley Beresford, hosted the open day and presented work by a previous placement student, Emma Wooley, who had undertaken a sandwich year internship at The Walt Disney Company. Showcasing the benefits of studying Public Relations and undertaking an industrial placement year immediately inspired me to explore the combined course. Upon reflection, I can definitely recognise the advantages of studying PR while maintaining the required Journalism transferable skills and work experience. 

How a placement year has benefitted my final year studies

Reflecting on my placement year’s impact on my final year studies, I’ve found that adopting a 9-5 routine has brought much-needed structure to my university life. I manage to juggle my lectures and seminars with independent study time, a part-time job as a freelance writer, dedication to my university cheerleading team all while keeping up a crazy, fun personal life as a 21-year-old student living in Leeds – phew.

In addition to my placement duties, I tackled university assignments like the Initial Placement Report, a virtual Academic Visit, and a Reflective Report. These tasks compelled me to document my entire placement journey, ensuring I recorded weekly activities and held myself accountable with the guidance of my line managers. These reports proved invaluable in recalling crucial work experiences. Furthermore, the Work Placement module allowed me to drop a module in my final semester, freeing up time to focus on essential projects and my dissertation.

My internship not only hooked me up with a respectable list of media contacts through meetings and events but also equipped me with the tools to develop and nurture these connections throughout my career. Maintaining ties with industry professionals has become an invaluable resource for my PR dissertation research.

How I used Beckett Careers to help secure my Disney placement

If you’re thinking about undertaking a placement year, I definitely recommend aiming high when applying and making use of the university’s careers team (Beckett Careers) for help tailoring your CV, Cover Letter, mastering interview skills, assessment centres and much more.

Before I began applying for placements, I signed up to multiple workshops to help improve my CV and interview skills. I also set up a call with a member of the Beckett Careers team to discuss any queries I had about my sandwich year. MyHub offers advice and support, a skills hub and a careers section to help you search for experience outside of academia. I found lots of internship vacancies to apply for on the jobs section.

Not to be dramatic but undertaking a placement year was the best decision of my life thus far. Moving to London, living with new people I had never met and working in an office for the first time ever taught me so many invaluable life lessons. Leeds Beckett University encouraged me to use my passion for creativity in my studies as well as helping me in my search for a suitable placement experience and it sure paid off. So, dream big and aim high because you will not regret it!

Placement Highlights

Press Trips to Disneyland Paris:

Supported a Pan-European press event to create media coverage for the premiere of a new show named "Together: a Pixar Musical Adventure"

Reality TV Shoot in Disneyland Paris:

Assisted with filming ITVBe's "Georgia and Tommy: Baby Steps" finale episode that showcased Disneyland Paris 30th Anniversary celebrations

Visitor Coordination:

Organised visits for journalists, influencers, and celebrities to Disney Parks & Resorts

Podcast Production:

Supported with the production of Disney Parks & Resorts "Journey to the Magic" podcast with celebrity guests and hosted a pre-launch event

Intern Role-Swap:

Two-week stint in PR Communications for Disney Consumer Products, Games & Publishing

Behind-the-Scenes Experience:

Visited ITV This Morning set with Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary