Disney Dreamers Academy becomes a multi-year program with Boys & Girls Clubs
Disney Dreamers Academy is expanding into a year-round, multi-year pilot run with Boys & Girls Clubs, starting with 200 middle school Club members in Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and Houston. The Orlando class opened the pilot at the Walt Disney World Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, and the participants will visit Walt Disney World during the program.
Disney Dreamers Academy, the youth program Disney has run since 2008, is turning into a year-round, multi-year pilot built with Boys & Girls Clubs. The first class is 200 middle school Club members in four cities, and the Orlando group opened the program with a kickoff at the Walt Disney World Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida.
Key Details
- Program: Disney Dreamers Academy, launched in 2008
- Partner: Boys & Girls Clubs
- First class: 200 middle school Club members in four metro areas
- Format: Year-round, multi-year pilot
- Orlando kickoff: Walt Disney World Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
How the new Dreamers Academy pilot works
The expansion reaches students earlier and keeps them connected to the program for years rather than a single visit.
- Starting in middle school. Working through Boys & Girls Clubs lets Disney meet students where they are, earlier in their journey than before.
- Virtual and in person. Sessions mix virtual experiences with in-person ones, both in the communities where students live and at Disney.
- What students do. Participants explore careers, build new skills and confidence, learn more about themselves and meet people Disney describes as inspiring.
- A resort visit. The program includes a trip to Walt Disney World for the participants.
Disney says the program has worked with more than 1,800 students across the country since it began, and that many of them went on to build careers, lead their communities and mentor later Disney Dreamers. The pilot is meant to bring that experience to more students and stay with them for longer.
Orlando students open the pilot at the Walt Disney World Clubhouse
Orlando's Dreamers were the first of the four cities to get their kickoff celebration.
- Purple carpet arrival. Fifty Central Florida students walked a purple carpet lined with community leaders and Disney VoluntEARS, the company's cast member volunteer program.
- Park-themed stations. Every city's kickoff has activity stations themed to the Walt Disney World parks, built around creativity, new interests and meeting other students.
- Hands-on activities. Orlando students looked for their own Disney Dreamer Anthem and personalized their own pairs of Mickey ears in the clubhouse gymnasium.
Characters were part of the night too. One of the Orlando Dreamers, Carlota, said the highlight was a visit from two familiar faces.
"My favorite part of the night was when Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse came to celebrate with us," said Carlota, a Disney Dreamer. "I feel honored to be here. I'm very happy and excited for everything this program has to offer me."
Miami, Atlanta and Houston kickoffs are next, dates not yet announced
Three more kickoff celebrations are still to come, and Disney plans to follow this first class over the next few years.
- Remaining cities. Club members in Miami, Atlanta and Houston each get their own kickoff celebration after Orlando's.
- No dates yet. Disney has not published dates for the three remaining kickoffs.
- A long partnership. The pilot is the latest step in a decades-long partnership between Disney and Boys & Girls Clubs.
- Earlier joint projects. In Central Florida that partnership has already produced after-school programs and the Club's Rock Star Robotics Center.
Our take. This is a community program, not something guests can book, so it will not change a park day. For families in the four pilot cities with a middle schooler who belongs to a Boys & Girls Club, the local Club is the place to ask about it.