Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is The Ultimate Life Summit?
The Ultimate Life Summit (ULS) is a unique, one week camp for teens at Walt Disney World® Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Students learn essential life-skills and success habits during morning and early afternoon seminars and then experience Disney World Attractions in the afternoon and evening. ULS provides students with the awareness and game plan to become a high achiever. Seminar topics include youth entrepreneurship, career exploration, financial literacy, leadership, personal accountability and social responsibility. ULS is taught by leading experts in the field of youth empowerment and attracts student participants from around the world. The teaching style is extremely interactive and filled with hands-on activities, educational games and real-world content that is relevant and age appropriate. ULS provides the framework for students to identify their unique strengths and talents and maximize their potential to live a life filled with high achievement, passion and a greater sense of purpose. A major focus of the week is to guide every student in the creation and customization of their own written Ultimate Life Plan. Students leave ULS with a heightened sense of optimism, a positive attitude, success habits, unique life skills, and a personalized Life Plan that enables them to immediately take action.
2. What is the Life Plan and how will it help?
A primary purpose of the camp is to facilitate each students generation of a personal life plan. The process of thinking and planning for one’s future is rare at any level and especially for young people. While unusual, it is incredibly advantageous for teens to go through this life-planning process. Statistics show that people who think and plan for their future ultimately achieve much higher levels of success. With a clear vision of their life plan, people are more efficient in their activities, more effective in their choices, more determined to persevere and overcome obstacles and less likely to make negative life choices. The process we take students through mirrors the habits of many high achievers. The first step is to get students to go through an introspective journey that helps them begin to uncover and leverage their talents and interests. The students identify their dreams, aspirations and core values. Once explored, students begin to align these talents, dreams and values with synergistic paths for education, careers, relationships and social responsibility. The final component of the process it to define the activities and action steps they need to execute today and how to review and adjust their plan in the future. All students take home their own customized Life Plan and ideally many will also take with them a vision for their future. Additionally, they will be motivated and have the awareness to take the appropriate action steps to begin exploring and expanding their talents while moving towards achieving a lifetime of dreams.
3. How are the instructors qualified to teach these lessons?
The two lead instructors Juan Casimiro and Scott Shickler are founding members of the youth development industry. Both were early pioneers with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship in the late 1980s and have dedicated their lives to the empowerment of youth. Over the last 20+ years, they have directly inspired hundreds of thousands of young people throughout the US and internationally. All five of the instructors have been on tremendous life journeys with many successes and hands-on experiences to draw from. As their careers have progressed, they have developed the awareness of the critical tools of success and in turn they have applied those tools with great success in their lives, both professionally and personally. Each of them instructors have dedicated their time and resources to empower young people to maximize their potential and live the Ultimate Life – one filled with happiness, passion and a true sense of purpose.
Read our Instructor Bios.
4. What is the agenda for the week?
The agenda was intentionally designed to create a unique experience that combines over 30-hours of amazing life-skill instruction and 30-hours of inspiring Walt Disney World® activities. Students will remain engaged from 8:00 a.m. each morning to 10:00 p.m. each night.
See the Detailed Agenda.
5. Who should attend?
The Ultimate Life Summit is for the teen who is interested in learning the proven habits and skills of success in a fun, interactive and engaging setting. Summit participants must be: * 13-19 years of age at time of camp * Fluent in English * Open-minded and willing to learn * Willing to fully participate * Interested in entrepreneurship, career exploration, financial success and/or personal achievement * Prepared to ask questions * Excited to meet new friends with like-minded interests * Ready to take action in order to live their dreams
6. How much spending money will be required?
Rooms, meals, and all entertainment activities are included in the $2,195 program fee. However, students will most likely need some additional money for incidentals such as snacks and souvenirs. If students desire to make purchases, additional money would be required.
7. Who will the students room with?
Rooms are provided by Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Each room includes two or three beds. Students will room with other students of the same gender and age group (13-15 or 16-19) in groups of two or three. Each student will have their own bed. Rooms will be assigned alphabetically. Roommate requests will be honored as available. Find more information on Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
8. Will chaperones be provided and what is their role?
Yes, one chaperone will be provided for every 10 students. All participants will meet their chaperones at the Airport in Orlando and accompany them directly to the hotel via Disney transportation and assist them through hotel check-in. Chaperones will ensure the students attend all seminars and activities including the Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, Epcot®, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Park, La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil and Downtown Disney®. Chaperones will ensure all students are back in their rooms each night. Additionally, they will make sure each student checks out and leaves Disney safely and on time on Saturday July 24th, 2010 and accompanies them to the airport check-in. Parents will be given the cell phone numbers to their child’s chaperone so contact can be made during the week.
9. Can parents/guardians attend The Ultimate Life Summit?
Parents and other family members are welcome to stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and discounted rooms are available. Park attractions, meals and other special events are also available at a special discount. Students will be engaged in seminars and group activities including all meals with their campmates. This is an important component of the program. For more information, please contact lilly@magicwandfoundation.com.
10. Is air fare included?
No, airfare is not included in the $2,195 Ultimate Life Summit tuition. Please contact lilly@magicwandfoundation.com for additional information on discounted airfare and the possibility of group rates.
11. How should I get my teen to the camp?
Students will need to arrive at the Orlando Airport between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 18th. Walt Disney World® provides complementary transportation to the hotel via Disney’s Magical Express®. Chaperones will be at the Orlando Airport to greet students and make sure they get their luggage and accompany them to the hotel and assist with check-in. All students need to arrive to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort & Convention Center no later than 5:00 p.m. on Sunday July 18th, 2010. Members of the Magic Wand Foundation will greet all students and make sure they get their rooms and escort them to the opening reception on Sunday July 18th, 2010.
12. Can we drive to Orlando?
Yes. Hotel parking is complementary. All participants driving to The Ultimate Life Summit must arrive at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort and check in prior to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 18th, 2010.
13. How will my teen get back to the airport to return home?
Chaperones will assist with hotel check-out and accompany students via Disney’s Magical Express back to the airport between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday July 24th, 2010. Check out time is by 11:00 a.m.
14. Are meals included? Do you have any dietary options?
Yes, all meals are included. Dinners on Sunday, July 18th and Friday, July 23rd will be banquet style. There will be a variety of choices including vegetarian options. All breakfast, lunch, and dinners will be provided through the Disney meal plan. This allows students to choose from restaurants at the Coronado and at Disney attractions.
15. Do we have to purchase additional materials?
No. Tuition includes all materials, meals and program activities. Students should bring extra spending money for their discretionary purchases.
16. How do I register?
The first thing you do is complete our online registration form. In order to complete the registration and secure your spot at the ULS you must then make a deposit. Our deposit form is here.
17. What is the difference between a registration and a scholarship application?
A (complete) registration grants your position in the ULS 2010.
A scholarship application submits your essay for consideration for a full or partial scholarship. Scholarship applications are judged on passion content and detail by a panel of four judges. The number of scholarships, both full and partial has not yet been determined. Give the tremendous volume of applications we receive, only a percentage of applicants will be awarded a scholarship. To guarantee yourself a spot at the ULS we recommend filling out the registration, making the deposit and submitting your scholarship application as soon as possible. If you are awarded a full scholarship, your deposit will be refunded to you. If you are awarded a partial scholarship, your balance will be reduced by that amount.
18. When are the registrations and applications due?
We will be accepting registrations until all spots are filled. Scholarship applications are due by April 16. All partial and full scholarships will be awarded (via email) on May 1, 2010.
The last day for refunds is May 1, 2010.
All final payments and travel itineraries are due on June 30.