2024 Disney on the Yard Innovation Challenge Terms and Conditions
The “ 2024 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 (“Disney”) 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 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 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 for various awards (each, an “Award” as described below). The top five (5) highest scoring HBCU student 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 https://support.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 26, 2024 and ending at 5:00 PM ET on September 23, 2024 (“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. HBCU student 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, Your HBCU student team must complete registration before the Registration Deadline and be confirmed by Disney.
B. Submission Period. Once HBCU student 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 September 30, 2024. Confirmed participating HBCU student 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 25, 2024(the “Submission Deadline”) to be eligible for Final Executive Presentations.
C. Final Executive Presentations. On or about November 1, 2024, Disney will notify up to five (5) HBCU student teams (each, a “Finalist Team”) with the highest scoring Submissions and provide a ten (10) minute time slot between 3:00 PM ET and 4:00 PM ET on or about November 6, 2024 (the “Final Executive Presentations Date”), as designated by Disney in its sole discretion, to present their PowerPoint or Keynote Submissions to a panel of executive judges and 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 (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 8, 2024.
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, 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 (collectively, “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, be confirmed to participate in the Competition, submit Submissions, be eligible for Final Executive Presentations and Awards (as described below), however, Eligible Participants may not participate on more than 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 Team member 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 2024 quarter or semester.
C. We suggest 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 (describe 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 considered for the Competition. Registration documents received after the Registration Deadline will be automatically disqualified 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. The project challenge prompt for the 2024 Competition is the following:
Disney Parks, resorts, cruise ships and entertainment venues are designed to be places for families and friends to gather and create memories together. Beyond the attractions, restaurants, shows and parades, our parks and resorts include outdoor spaces that are functional yet invite guests to pause and enjoy the time in between their activities.
Here is your challenge: Apply some of the same principles as Disney Parks to create or reimagine an outdoor space within Your school community that addresses current school community needs.. The outdoor space should be novel, implementable, efficient with resources, address a school community need, and demonstrate resource conservation and biophilic design. Create an innovative and sustainable solution using the information below:
Budget of $50,000.
Financial plan and detailed budget.
How is the budget being allocated?
How can the outdoor space be sustained financially for eighteen (18) months?
Communications plan.
How are you raising $50,000?
How are you communicating this to current students?
How are you communicating this to future students?
Visual representation.
Questions.
Why would this attract current and future students?
How is the outdoor space novel?
How is it implementable and efficient with resources?
How does the outdoor space address a school community need?
How does it demonstrate resource conservation, environmental sustainability and biophilic design?
In telling the unique story of Your outdoor space, it should respect and integrate local and school traditions and geography. Your outdoor space should be a place to gather, study, interact and celebrate, as well as reflect and educate the community. A concept that will go down in history as symbolic of your campus, city and local community.
C. Any Competition Submission submitted by a Team must be original and solely the work the Team. Do not use third party intellectual property in any part of Your Submission.
D. All Submissions must comply with the Submission guidelines as provided on the Competition Website and via the Competition Email. Only one (1) Submission per Team will be accepted. All Team members must contribute to a Team’s Submission.
E. Submissions must include the following elements:
i. Evidence of innovation;
ii. A financial plan and detailed budget;
iii. A communications/marketing plan; and
iv. A visual representation.
F. 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.
G. 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.
H. All materials submitted to Disney will become the property of Disney and will not be returned.
I. 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.
J. 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.
K. 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.
L. 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 judging criteria (collectively, the “Submission Judging Criteria”):
i. Innovation: The concept is technically innovative, novel, implementable, and efficient with resources.
ii. Financial plan and detailed budget: The financial plan and detailed budget is complete, practical, cost effective and mathematically accurate.
iii. Communications plan: The communications plan is complete, effective, cohesive, demonstrates visual communication, design, composition, and color theory, including an original logo, description of the company, and description of the concept.
iv. Visual representation: The visual representation demonstrates creativity and technical ability in visualizing the concept.
v. Spelling and grammar.
B. Final Executive Presentations. 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 their 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. 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. 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. 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 (as described below). Disney reserves the right to award fewer than five (5) Awards if fewer than five (5) Finalist Teams present Final Executive Presentations. All Finalist Team members must contribute to a Finalist Team’s final executive presentation. Final Executive Presentations will be judged based on the following Final Executive Presentation judging criteria (the “Final Executive Presentation Judging Criteria”):
i. Presentation skills: Delivery of Final Executive Presentation and associated audiovisual elements is polished, professional, clearly messaged, and demonstrates contributions from all Team members.
ii. Disney 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 “technical innovation” will be selected for higher placement.
iii. Disney will announce Finalist Team placement and corresponding Awards at the conclusion of the Final Executive Presentations teleconference.
iv. Finalist Team members will have an opportunity to meet virtually with Disney recruiters.
6. Awards. Each of the top three (3) Finalist Team 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
i. Each first place Finalist Team member will receive a $4,000 scholarship.
ii. The HBCU of the first place Finalist Team will receive a $10,000 school grant.
B. Second Place
i. Each second place Finalist Team member will receive a $2,000 scholarship.
C. Third Place
i. 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.
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.