Disney on the Yard Innovation Challenge Terms and Conditions

2025 Disney on the Yard Innovation Challenge Terms and Conditions

The “2025 Disney on the Yard Innovation Challenge” (“Competition”) is a design competition created and administered by The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiary and affiliated companies (collectively, “Disney” or “Sponsor”) for the purpose of seeking out and nurturing the next generation of students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (“HBCU”).

This Competition provides the opportunity for students at a participating HBCU to showcase their skills and talents to Disney by submitting team projects in response to a Disney project challenge. Provided with a project challenge prompt, HBCU student teams comprised of at least two (2) but no more than four (4) eligible students (each, a “Team”) will work to deliver an original concept similar to a case study. In a matter of a few weeks, HBCU student Teams will leverage their various financial, technical, artistic, marketing and communication skills to prepare and submit a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation, including any ideas, inventions or other intellectual property contained therein (collectively, “Submission”) to be reviewed and scored by an initial panel of judges. The top five (5) highest scoring HBCU student teams (the “Finalist Teams”) will then present their Submissions in the form of final executive presentations (each, a “Final Executive Presentation”) via teleconference to a panel of executive judges, with awards (each, an “Award” as described below) being given to the three (3) highest ranking Finalist Teams. All Finalist Teams will also be provided the opportunity to meet with Disney recruiters.

By participating in the Competition, you (“You”/“Your”) agree to the following Competition rules, terms and conditions (collectively, “Terms”) and any additional guidelines as may be communicated to you on the Competition’s designated website located at dotyinnovationchallenge.com (the “Competition Website”) and via emails from TWDC.Disney.On.The.Yard@disney.com (the “Competition Email”). If You do not agree with these Terms, You may not participate in the Competition.

1. Timeline. 

A. Registration Period. HBCU student Teams must register to participate in the Competition on the Competition Website beginning on or about 12:00 PM ET on August 25, 2025 and ending at 5:00 PM ET on  September 22, 2025 (“Registration Deadline”), but should allow Disney sufficient time to verify HBCU student team eligibility and confirm participation in the Competition prior to commencement of the Competition. Team eligibility verification and registration confirmation may take up to one (1) week and no additional time will be provided to complete and submit Submissions once the Competition has commenced. In order to participate in the Competition, each Team must complete registration before the Registration Deadline and be confirmed by Disney to participate by September 29, 2025.

B. Submission Period. Once Team eligibility verification is completed and participation in the Competition is confirmed by Disney via the Competition Email, HBCU student Teams of two (2) to four (4) eligible HBCU students may begin submitting Submissions after receiving the project challenge prompt on or about 12:00 AM (midnight) ET on October 6, 2025. Confirmed and participating Teams must submit PowerPoint or Keynote Submissions along with signed Submission Agreements for each Team member (as further described below) by 11:59 PM ET on October 24, 2025 (the “Submission Deadline”) to be eligible for Final Executive Presentations.

C. Final Executive Presentations. On or about October 30, 2025, Disney will notify up to five (5) Finalist Teams with the highest scoring Submissions and provide a ten (10) minute time slot between 3:00 PM ET and 4:30 PM ET on or about  November 5, 2025 (the “Final Executive Presentations Date”), as designated by Disney in its sole discretion, to present their Final Executive Presentations in PowerPoint or Keynote format to a panel of executive judges and answer any follow-up questions the executive judges may have. Each Finalist Team must present as their Final Executive Presentation the same PowerPoint or Keynote Submission previously submitted before the Submission Deadline and cannot present new or revised Power Point or Keynote Submissions or such Finalist Team may be disqualified and not eligible for an Award (as described below).

D. Final Placement Announcement. Disney will announce the final placement (as described below) of each Finalist Team at the conclusion of the Final Executive Presentations teleconference on November 5, 2025. Of the five (5) Finalist Teams, the three (3) Teams that rank the highest in the Final Executive Presentations will each receive an Award as set forth below.

 

2. Eligibility. In order to participate in the Competition, every Eligible Participant and Team (as defined below) must meet the applicable eligibility requirements set forth below (collectively, “Eligibility Requirements”).

A. Participant Eligibility.

i. At the time of registration until the conclusion of the Final Executive Presentations, each Competition participant must:

a. Be a legal resident of the 50 United States or District of Columbia;

b. Be eighteen (18) years of age or older or the age of majority in Your state of primary residence (whichever is older); and

c. Be verified as a currently enrolled as an undergraduate student (freshman, sophomore, junior or senior) at an accredited HBCU as listed by the U.S. Department of Education on their website located at https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/.

ii. Employees of Disney and their immediate family members and household members are not eligible to participate in the Competition.

iii. All determinations of eligibility shall be made by Disney in its sole discretion.

iv. Individuals who meet the above requirements are referred to herein as “Eligible Participants”.

B. Team Eligibility.

i. Each Eligible Participant must participate in the Competition with one (1) or more other Eligible Participants on a Team.

ii. Each Team must:

a. Include at least two (2) but no more than four (4) Eligible Participants;

b. Designate one (1) of the Team members as a Team leader (the “Team Leader”);

c. Participate in all required stages of the Competition, including the PowerPoint or Keynote Submissions and Final Executive Presentations;

d. Adhere to the registration and submission requirements and deadlines set forth in these Terms and as otherwise may be communicated on the Competition Website and via the Competition Email; and

e. Agree to and abide by these Terms and Disney’s decisions at all times. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of individual Team members or the entire Team.

iii. For the avoidance of doubt, multiple Teams from each HBCU may register, participate and compete in the Competition, but each Eligible Participant may only participate on one (1) Team and each Team must be made up of Eligible Participants from the same HBCU.

3. Registration Guidelines. To participate in this Competition, all Team members must register and submit the required registration documents as directed via the Competition Website by the Registration Deadline. Registrations submitted after the Registration Deadline, incomplete and/or that do not comply with registration requirements set forth via the Competition Website, including, but not limited to, enrollment verification letters that do not clearly indicate each Eligible Participant’s current enrollment status and undergraduate standing, may be disqualified and the Team member submitting such late or non-conforming registration may not be eligible to participate in the Competition.

A. Each Team must identify, designate and work with a faculty sponsor point of contact at their HBCU (each, a “Faculty Contact”) for the duration of the Competition. Each Faculty Contact may assist in identifying additional Team members, selecting a Team Leader based on each student’s skills and the requirements needed for the Submission, and to address any questions or issues that may arise with the HBCU and Disney.

B. Each Eligible Participant on a Team must submit the following with their Competition registration:

i. A résumé or curriculum vitae as a Microsoft Word document no more than two (2) pages in length; and

ii. An enrollment verification letter to verify current HBCU enrollment status and undergraduate standing. The verification letter must be signed by an authorized representative of the HBCU as determined by Disney in its sole discretion. The enrollment verification letter must include the following:

a. Student’s full name;

b. Major;

c. Minor (if applicable);

d. Concentration (if applicable);

e. Undergraduate standing (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior or senior); and

f. Verification of current HBCU enrollment in the fall 2025 quarter or semester.

C. It is strongly suggested that all Team members carefully review the details of verification letters before registering, as official transcripts and/or enrollment verification letters from registrars may not contain all of the required information.

D. All Eligible Participant and Team registration documents must be submitted on the Competition Website by the Registration Deadline to be eligible to participate in the Competition. We suggest registering as early as possible to allow sufficient time to address potential issues with registration details, registration documents, Team member eligibility verification and/or confirmation of Team participation in the Competition.

E. As part of the registration process, each Eligible Participant must confirm eligibility and acceptance of these Terms, Disney’s Terms of Use located at https://disneytermsofuse.com/ (“TOU”) and the Submission Agreement (described below) by checking the applicable affirmative consent checkbox on the Competition Website.

F. All registration documents must be received by Disney by the Registration Deadline to be eligible to participated in the Competition. Registration documents received after the Registration Deadline will result in the disqualification of that Eligible Participant from the Competition.

G. Registration documents will be used solely to determine and verify eligibility for this Competition. Registration details, résumés, curriculum vitae and enrollment verification letters will not be judged and will be used by Disney solely to verify eligibility for this Competition and for potential internship and employment opportunities at Disney.

4. Submission Guidelines. Upon Disney’s acceptance of registration documents and final notification of Team qualification and confirmation of participation in the Competition, Teams will be directed by their Faculty Contacts to develop and submit to Disney original concepts in response to the Disney project challenge prompt by the Submission Deadline.

A. Challenge Prompt

The project challenge prompt for the 2025 Competition is the following:

In today’s world, students across college campuses enjoy the rapidly growing advancements of technology at their fingertips. College campuses in 2025 are home to digital natives, known as GEN Z, who have grown up with smartphones, smart homes, social media and on-demand access to information 24-7 since entering the world. While there are several benefits of technology in the form of better communications, better collaboration and better productivity, this fast-growing tech era has also brought to light some cracks in the advancing development of digital transformation.

Here is your challenge: What if Technology Never Existed - How would you reimagine the student experience on your campus if the worldwide web or social media never existed? How would you connect without FaceTime? How would you create environments on your campus that challenge students to reach for the stars and build a future based on their own talents and imaginations?

Your submissions must include the following:

Visual representation

• A visual representation of your concept demonstrates creativity and your ability to visualize your concept

Communications Plan

• A plan to communicate/market your concept without technology to students?
• A plan to communicate/market your concept to administrators/faculty?
• A plan to communicate/market your concept to the local community?

Financial Plan and Detailed Budget

• You have a budget of $10K to fund your concept
• Itemize details for an eighteen (18) month financial sustainment plan for your concept

How does your concept improve the student experience?

How does your concept increase student enrollment?

B. Submissions must be provided to Disney by Team Leaders in the form of PowerPoint or Keynote presentations no more than eight (8) slides in length by the Submission Deadline as directed by Disney.  Your (8) slide maximum does not include your title and closing slide.

C. Along with the PowerPoint or Keynote Submission, each Team member must also submit a signed submission agreement (“Submission Agreement”) confirming eligibility, acceptance of these Terms, Disney’s TOU, Disney’s rights to the Submission, and release from claims. Signed Submission Agreements must be provided to Disney by Team Leaders with each Team’s Submission by the Submission Deadline.

D. All materials submitted to Disney will become the property of Disney and will not be returned.

E. PowerPoint or Keynote Submissions (in any form) may not be posted or displayed online, including, but not limited to, any social media sites, until the Competition has concluded. Doing so will disqualify the Team.

F. PowerPoint or Keynote Submissions and signed Submission Agreements must be received by Disney by the Submission Deadline to be eligible for Final Executive Presentations. Submissions, unsigned Submission Agreements and/or signed Submission Agreements received after the Submission Deadline will be automatically disqualified from the Competition.

G. Disney may recommend certain Internet services or third-party websites or platforms through which You and/or a Team may transmit registration documents, Submissions, communications, or other materials to Disney (“Transmission Platforms”) in furtherance of the Competition. Disney will not be responsible for, and no extensions of time will be granted as a result of, any delay in the delivery of any Submissions, communications or other materials between You and Disney including, but not limited to, delays attributable to the Internet, email delivery systems or the like.

H. Submissions shall not include any Sensitive Personal Information about any real person. “Sensitive Personal Information” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following information regarding a real person: (1) Social Security number, (2) driver’s license, (3) state identification card or passport number, (4) financial account, debit card or credit card number, (5) race or origin, (6) religious or philosophical beliefs, (7) genetic data, (8) biometric information, (9) health information, and (10) information about sex life or sexual orientation.

5. Judging.

A. Submissions. All Submissions will be reviewed and scored by a panel of judges whose backgrounds represent a wide array of expertise and disciplines within Disney to determine up to five (5) Finalist Teams to advance to the Final Executive Presentations. Disney reserves the right to select fewer than five (5) Finalist Teams if an insufficient number of Teams have registered for the Competition or Disney receives an insufficient number of Submissions of sufficient quality. All Team members must contribute to a Team’s Submission.

Submissions will be judged based on the following equally weighted judging criteria (collectively, the “Submission Judging Criteria”):

1.    Visual representation

• A visual representation of your concept demonstrates creativity and your ability to visualize your concept
• All visuals will support your concept without using AI

2.    Communications Plan

• A plan to communicate/market your concept without technology to students?
• A plan to communicate/market your concept to administrators/faculty?
• A plan to communicate/market your concept to the local community?

3.    Financial Plan and Detailed Budget

• Detailed budget that is cost effective, mathematically accurate and itemizing the costs of your concept

4.    Overall structure, cohesion and layout of your Powerpoint or Keynote, including spelling, grammar and clarity.

B. Final Executive Presentations.

1. Disney will select up to five (5) Finalist Teams to provide Final Executive Presentations on the Final Executive Presentations Date based on the highest scores in the Submission Judging Criteria. Each Finalist Team must present as their Final Executive Presentation their underlying PowerPoint or Keynote Submission to a panel of executive judges during the time slot as designated by Disney in its sole discretion on the Final Executive Presentations Date and must answer any follow-up questions the executive judges may have. Each Finalist Team must present the same PowerPoint or Keynote Submission previously submitted before the Submission Deadline and cannot present new or revised Power Point or Keynote Submissions or such Finalist Team may be disqualified and not eligible for an Award.
2. Final Executive Presentations must be given during the time slot as designated by Disney in its sole discretion on the Final Executive Presentations Date. Any Finalist Team that does not give their Final Executive Presentation during their designated time slot on the Final Executive Presentations Date or fails to present will be automatically disqualified from the Competition. All materials submitted to Disney will become the property of Disney and will not be returned. Finalist Teams must not exceed their designated ten (10) minute time slot. In the event a Finalist Team exceeds their designated time slot, only the first ten (10) minutes will be judged and Disney may terminate such Finalist Team’s Final Executive Presentation in its sole discretion.
3. Disney will not be responsible for and may refuse to grant extensions of time as a result of any delay in the delivery of any communications or Submissions between You and Disney including but not limited to, unavailability of Team members, delays attributable to unavailability of the internet or poor internet connections, power outages, and failure or delays email delivery systems or the like. However, Disney may grant additional time to answer follow-up questions from the executive judges and answers may be included in Final Executive Presentation scoring in its sole discretion.
4. Disney reserves the right to postpone or reschedule Final Executive Presentations or modify Final Executive Presentations time slots in its sole discretion. Final Executive Presentations will be reviewed and scored by a panel of executive judges whose backgrounds represent a wide array of expertise and disciplines within Disney, who blend storytelling with the latest technologies to create immersive products and experiences that delight families all around the world. The panel of executive judges will determine final scores, placement and corresponding Awards for the three (3) Finalist Teams who score the highest in their Final Executive Presentations (as described below). Disney reserves the right to award fewer than three (3) Awards if fewer than three (3) Finalist Teams present Final Executive Presentations. All Finalist Team members must contribute to a Finalist Team’s final executive presentation.
5. Final Executive Presentations will be judged based on the following Final Executive Presentation judging criteria (the “Final Executive Presentation Judging Criteria”): Presentation skills – the delivery of Final Executive Presentation and associated audiovisual elements is polished, professional, clearly messaged, and demonstrates contributions from all Team members.
6. The executive judges will determine final scores, placement and corresponding Awards based on the combined scores in both the Submission Judging Criteria and Final Executive Presentation Judging Criteria. In the event of a tie, the Finalist Team with the higher score in the Communications Plan criterion from the Submission Judging Criteria in the prior round will be selected for higher placement.
7. Disney will announce Finalist Team placement and corresponding Awards at the conclusion of the Final Executive Presentations teleconference.
8. Regardless of placement, all five (5) Finalist Teams and their members will have an opportunity to participate in a recruiter overview session with Disney Internship Recruiters and/or Disney on the Yard representatives.

 

6. Awards. Each of the top three ranking (3) Finalist Teams and their members (based on final scores as determined by Disney pursuant to Section 5 above) will receive one (1) of the following awards (each, an “Award”):

A. First Place

Each first place Finalist Team member will receive a $4,000 scholarship.

The HBCU of the first place Finalist Team will receive a $10,000 school grant.

B. Second Place

Each second place Finalist Team member will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

C. Third Place

Each third place Finalist Team member will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

D. Faculty Contacts are not eligible for Awards.

E. Disney will deliver scholarship funds via electronic deposit. Student scholarship funds can be used to cover the unmet cost of tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, on-campus room and board and other direct expenses as defined by each HBCU’s published cost of attendance or as otherwise directed by each HBCU.

 

F. Disney will deliver the school grant funds via electronic deposit. The school grant will be directed to be used by the HBCU for professional development of students attending the HBCU.

G. All applicable federal, state and local taxes and all other expenses not expressly listed in these Terms are the sole responsibility of the Award recipients. Awards are non-transferable and may not be substituted or redeemed for cash. Disney reserves the right to substitute any Award for one of comparable or greater value.

H. Potential Award winners will be required to complete, sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Release and Indemnification, and a Publicity Release where allowed by law, W-9 Form, if applicable and any other documentation required by Sponsor to claim their Awards.

 

7. Submission Rights.

A. In consideration for the opportunity to participate in the Competition and be considered for an Award, all Eligible Participant members understand and agree to the following:

i. Submissions and Unsolicited Ideas Policies. Disney’s long-standing company policy does not allow us to accept or consider unsolicited creative ideas, suggestions or materials. In connection with anything You submit to us – whether or not solicited by us – You agree that creative ideas, suggestions or other materials You submit are not being made in confidence or trust and that no confidential or fiduciary relationship is intended or created between You and us in any way, and that You have no expectation of review, compensation or consideration of any type.

ii. Grant of Rights. You grant Disney a non-exclusive, sublicensable, irrevocable and royalty-free worldwide license under all copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, privacy and publicity rights and other intellectual property rights for the full duration of those rights to use, reproduce, transmit, print, publish, publicly display, exhibit, distribute, redistribute, copy, index, comment on, modify, transform, adapt, translate, create derivative works based upon, publicly perform, publicly communicate, make available, and otherwise exploit Your Submission, in whole or in part, in all media formats and channels now known or hereafter devised (including in connection with the Disney products and services and on third-party websites, services, applications, and/or platforms), in any number of copies and without limit as to time, manner and frequency of use, without further notice to You, without attribution (to the extent this is not contrary to mandatory provisions of applicable law), and without the requirement of permission from or payment to You or any other person or entity. You agree that submission of Your Submission and final executive presentation does not establish any relationship of trust and confidence between You and us, and that You have no expectation of compensation whatsoever.

iii. Representation and Warranty. You represent and warrant that Your Submission and final executive presentation conforms to these Terms and that You own or have the necessary rights and permissions including, without limitation, all copyrights, music rights and likeness rights (with respect to any person) contained in the Submission and final executive presentation, without the need for payment to any other person or entity, to use and exploit, and to authorize us to use and exploit, Your Submission and final executive presentation in all manners contemplated by these Terms; and You agree to indemnify and hold Disney, its affiliated and subsidiary companies, harmless from any claims or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) by any third party arising out of or in connection with our use and exploitation of Your Submission and/or final executive presentation resulting from Your breach of these Terms. You also agree to waive and not to enforce any moral rights, ancillary rights or similar rights in or to Your Submission and final executive presentation against us or our licensees, distributors, agents, representatives and other authorized users, and agree to procure the same agreement to waive and not to enforce from others who may possess such rights.

iv. Disney Intellectual Property. To the extent that we authorize You to create, post, upload, distribute, publicly display or publicly perform Your Submission and/or final executive presentation that requires the use of our copyrighted works, we grant You a non-exclusive license to create a derivative work using the specifically referenced copyrighted works as required for the sole purpose of creating such a work, provided that such license shall be conditioned upon Your assignment to us of all rights worldwide in the work You create for the duration of copyright in Your Submission and final executive presentation, in all formats and media known or unknown to date, including for use on Disney products, services, and on third party sites and platforms. If such rights are not assigned to us, Your license to create derivative works using our copyrighted works shall be null and void.

8. Adherence to and Modification of Terms. All Eligible Participants must abide by these Terms and any other instructions, requirements (including the Eligibility Requirements), procedures, notices and other rules provided via the Competition Email. Failure to do so, as determined by Disney at its sole and exclusive discretion, may result in disqualification of any Eligible Participant or Team. Disney reserves the right to modify, cancel or otherwise change the Competition, the Eligibility Requirements, these Terms, the Awards and any other Competition requirements, rules or processes without notice at any time at its sole and exclusive discretion.

9. Miscellaneous. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and anything contained elsewhere or communicated via the Competition Email, these Terms shall prevail. You hereby agree to release and hold Disney, its affiliated and subsidiary companies and entities, and any authorized agents or representatives of each harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities and costs (including settlement costs and any legal or other fees and expenses for investigating or defending any actions or threatened actions) in connection with any claim arising out of: (i) any breach by You of these Terms; (ii) Your participation in or conduct during the Competition; and (iii) the acceptance, use, or misuse of any prizes or awards. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NEGLIGENCE, SHALL DISNEY BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING PERSONAL INJURY (INCLUDING DEATH) AND PROPERTY DAMAGE OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMPETITION EVEN IF FORESEEABLE BY DISNEY OR IF DISNEY OR ANY OF ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Awards are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied (including without limitation any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). Acceptance of an award constitutes the grant to Disney and assigns an unconditional right to use Your name, address (city and state, province or territory only), voice, likeness, photograph (including without limitation, such, biographical and award information and/or statements about this Competition for any programming, publicity, advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California and the laws of the United States, without giving effect to any principals of conflicts of law. Any action at law or in equity arising out of or relating to these Terms shall be filed, and venue properly lies, only in State or Federal courts located in Los Angeles, California and You hereby consent and submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purposes of litigating any such action. If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed from the remainder of these Terms, which will otherwise remain in full force and effect.