WDI Finance Internship (Glendale)

Job Description

About the Job: WDI Finance Internship (Glendale)

About The Role & Program:

Step into an innovative team and vibrant culture at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), the legendary creative force behind all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, and cruise ships worldwide. Imagineers are at the forefront of blending creative vision with scientific and technical expertise, crafting immersive experiences, memorable destinations, and groundbreaking entertainment for families globally. This team truly brings the magic to life!

As a WDI Finance Intern, you will become an integral part of this dynamic environment, contributing to the financial health and strategic planning that underpins these magical creations. You will report directly to the Senior Manager, Finance.

This full-time internship is scheduled to run approximately from May 2026 to August 2026 and will be located at our facilities in Glendale, CA.

What You Will Do:

As a key member of our Finance team, you will be instrumental in ensuring financial accuracy and strategic oversight for Walt Disney Imagineering projects. Your responsibilities will encompass a broad range of financial activities, from maintaining detailed financial reports and meticulously supervising costs and budgets, to tracking complex commitments with both internal teams and external 3rd-party consultants and contractors. You will also be vital in preparing comprehensive budgets and conducting critical financial sensitivity analyses to inform strategic decision-making. We are excited to see your contributions!

Core Responsibilities:

• Maintaining accurate financial information and developing basic financial models to provide insightful performance and trend analysis for Imagineering projects.
• Identifying key financial issues and clearly communicating analyses in a digestible format for management evaluation and strategic planning.
• Understanding the intricate accounting impacts on your areas of responsibility, ensuring financial performance is accurately represented and potential risks are mitigated.
• Interfacing and building strong rapport with diverse team members, management, and internal/external customers, fostering collaborative financial practices.
• Analyzing sophisticated journal entries that can significantly influence project budgets and overall financial performance.
• Developing innovative alternatives/proposals for operational improvements within the finance function and Imagineering departments.

Project/Division Responsibilities:

• Collaborating closely with Imagineering departments to establish the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), manage recurring monthly Forecasts, develop robust cost management strategies, and maintain essential Plan/Forecast metrics.
• Reviewing cost commitments diligently, auditing operational activities, and thoroughly researching cost drivers, variances, and trends to ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Entering and meticulously maintaining financial data within our Forecast & Planning system, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
• Providing regular, comprehensive reporting and analysis to management, including detailed labor analytics, operational expense (OE) spending profiles, and critical cost reporting.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Exceptional multitasking skills, adept at managing multiple priorities in a dynamic and flexible environment, including effective collaboration with functional groups outside of finance.
• Demonstrated willingness to embrace a creative approach to problem-solving and work independently in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Outstanding verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, capable of conveying complex financial information clearly and concisely.
• Proven ability to develop and interpret financial models, translating data into actionable insights.
• Strong digital literacy, proficient in Microsoft Word, with an intermediate level or above proficiency in Excel, as well as competence in PowerPoint and Outlook. Must also possess a conceptual understanding of integrated financial systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems such as SAP, or business intelligence and data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, and/or SQL, would be highly advantageous.

Education:

Candidates must be currently enrolled as a Junior or higher attending an accredited college/university, pursuing a degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or Data Analytics/Data Science.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information:

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree, taking at least one class at the time of application posting OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Possess unrestricted work authorization in the U.S.
• Have not completed one year of continual employment on a Disney internship or program.

Additional Information:

• Ability to provide reliable transportation to/from work in Glendale, CA.
• Must be fully available for the entire duration of the internship (May 2026 to August 2026).
• Able to provide own housing for the duration of the internship in Glendale, CA.

Pay Rate & Benefits:

The pay rate for this role in Glendale, CA is $22.50 per hour for undergraduate students and $30.40 per hour for graduate level students. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our comprehensive benefits, please visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.