WDI Ride Development Engineering Intern, Spring 2027

1001 Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc.; Bay Lake (FL); On-site; USD 43,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing opportunities

Job summary

Walt Disney Imagineering seeks a Ride Development Engineering Intern for Spring 2027 in Orlando, FL. You’ll join a multidisciplinary team to develop ride systems and immersive experiences, from concept to testing, with a strong learning focus.

You'll contribute to ride projects, perform CAD work, and analyze components, while collaborating with experts across engineering disciplines. The internship runs January–June 2027 with housing opportunities in Florida.

Qualifications

• Be enrolled in a college/university pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related field.
• Must understand basic mechanical system design and control elements.
• Able to prepare technical documents and CAD drawings.
• Hands-on experience building and testing mechanisms, machines, or vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Work on ride system development, prototyping, simulation, or testing for a specific attraction or project.
• Provide mechanical analysis of components and systems.
• Assist in design of mechanisms and machines.
• Perform CAD model manipulation and creation.
• Share ride system interface information with other Imagineering groups.

Skills

Mechanical design understanding

Control system elements

CAD drawings

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Statics and dynamics

Kinematics

Strength of material

Energy

Hands-on prototyping

Education

Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Mechatronics (current student)

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

MATLAB

Job description

Job Posting Title: WDI Ride Development Engineering Intern, Spring 2027 Req ID: 10158669

Job Description: Be a part of an innovative team and culture… Walt Disney Imagineering is the creative force that imagines, designs and brings to life all Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions and cruise ships worldwide. Working across a spectrum of disciplines that range from creative and conceptual to scientific and technical, Imagineers blend an innovative mixture of storytelling, art, science and technology to create immersive experiences, memorable destinations, and innovative entertainment for families around the globe.

The approximate date of this internship is January 2027 to June 2027 and will be located in Orlando, FL.

Ride Engineers build the most advanced systems that create magical and immersive attractions around the world. We work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment to develop unique experiences. The studio is comprised of Control (Software and Hardware) and Mechanical departments to accomplish that goal.

What You Will Do

As a Ride Development Engineering Intern, you will work within the WDI studio that designs and develops rides that provide memorable, moving experiences to Disney’s Guests worldwide. The intern may be involved in various project phases from concept to detailed design to testing. Although the Ride Development Engineering intern is responsible for various engineering activities, emphasis is placed on learning. Throughout the internship, the Ride Development Engineering Intern will be exposed to experts in various engineering disciplines.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Be part of an engineering team involved in ride system development, prototyping, simulation, or testing for a specific attraction or development project
• Provide mechanical analysis of components and systems
• Assist in the design of mechanisms and machines
• Perform CAD model manipulation and creation!
• Provide ride system interface information to other groups within Imagineering

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Ability to understand and implement basic mechanical system design and their associated control system elements
• Ability to understand and adapt general engineering principles
• Ability to prepare technical documents and CAD drawings
• Possess basic knowledge of mechanical components and manufacturing processes
• Proven understanding of SolidWorks and AutoCAD
• Ability to perform basic calculations in: Statics and dynamics, Kinematics, Strength of material and Energy
• Hands-on experience building and testing mechanisms, machines, or vehicles

Preferred Qualifications

• Basic understanding of systems modeling, vibrations, and composites
• Solid understanding of MATLAB

Education

Currently enrolled as a Junior or higher attending an accredited college/university earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Mechatronics, or related field.

Eligibility Requirements & Program Information

• Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at 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
• Have not completed one year of continual employment on a Disney internship or program.

Additional Information

• Able to provide reliable transportation to/from work
• Must be fully available for the duration of the internship
• We provide limited housing opportunities for Florida Based Professional Interns through American Campus Communities.

The pay rate for this role in Orlando, FL is $31per hour for undergraduate students and $36 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. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits

Job Posting Segment

WDI Global Business Operations & Strategy

Job Posting Primary Business

Ride Engineering (WDI)

Job Posting Primary Job Posting Category

Engineering Intern

Employment Type

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code

Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA

Date Posted

2026-08-24

Learn more about us.