Experience Walt Disney World from a psychological perspective!
This course explores how social and developmental psychology principles are intertwined with guest experiences at Walt Disney World. This workshop-based course entails hands-on learning experiences at the Disney World Imagination Campus in Orlando, Florida, and it features project-based learning throughout all four Disney parks in a team format.
This course will be taught on-site at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, in addition to a physical classroom at USC Aiken (please see the course schedule below for dates). Travelling to Florida is required to participate, and there is a program fee associated with this experience that is not included in tuition.
Course Schedule
May 11 - Travel to Orlando, FL. Check into hotel (Coronado Springs Resort)
May 12 - Hollywood Studios
May 13 - Magic Kingdom & Psychology of Park Design workshop
May 14 - Animal Kingdom & Immersive Storytelling workshop
May 15 - Epcot
May 16 - Travel back to Aiken, SC
May 17 - No class
May 18 - No class
May 19 - Project guided workday (USC Aiken)
May 20 - Project guided workday (USC Aiken)
May 21 - Project wrap-ups (USC Aiken)
Program Fee
The program fee for this course is $500, which includes the following:
Hotel accommodations (5 nights), assuming 3 people per room
Park tickets (Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot)
Disney Imagination Campus workshops
Items not included in the program fee:
Travel to/from Orlando, Florida (we will facilitate carpooling among the student participants)
Meals (although your professors will treat you to at least one nice dinner)
Tuition
How to join the course
Instructor permission is required to join this course. We are currently accepting applications (click the link below to access the online application). Applications are due by February 28th, 2026. PSYC 101 is the only prerequisite for participating.
Click here to access the course application link
Please contact us if you have questions!
Dr. Adam Pazda can be reached at adamp@usca.edu
Dr. Brianne Coulombe can be reached at brianne.coulombe@usca.edu