ORLANDO, Fla. — Ryan McMahon's internship is magical.

McMahon, who graduated from the Mars High School in 2013, is about to wrap up a five-month internship at Walt Disney World in Florida.

McMahon is a sports, art and entertainment management student at Point Park University in Pittsburgh who hopes to work on the business side of the performing arts industry after graduation.

He succeeded in the exacting process of entering the Disney College Program in the summer and traveled to Orlando in early August to begin his internship.

“Disney is definitely the biggest entertainment company there is across the world,” McMahon said. “I'm definitely learning a lot about how they run everything here.”

McMahon's job at Disney has been operating the American Adventure show at Epcot on the Disney campus. His demeanor becomes gracious when asked what the attraction involves.

“You wouldn't believe how many times a day I explain that thing,” he said with a laugh.

McMahon said the 30-minute audio-animatronics show describes the history of America from the arrival of the Pilgrims to the modern era. Animatronic figures such as Mark Twain, Will Rodgers, John F. Kennedy and Susan B. Anthony help tell the story of America.

Greeting people and welcoming them into the American Adventure Pavilion, assisting guests in general, ushering them into the show's stately theater and giving a short speech at the beginning of the show are some of McMahon's main tasks.

The American Adventure show runs every 45 minutes from 11:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. During the busiest show times each day, an a cappella singing group entertains the crowd before the show begins.

“We can have upwards of 400 to 500 people (at the busiest shows),” McMahon said.

Disney provides not only nearby living quarters for interns, but busing to and from the park during the paid, semester-long internship.

He works a minimum of 35 hours per week and sometimes picks up extra shifts that add up to 50 hours.

“You're down here to work, but you're here to play and have fun also,” McMahon said.

He made many friends at the Disney College Program from all over the globe, but McMahon's best friend in the program goes to the University of Pittsburgh and lives five minutes away in Pittsburgh.

“I met him (at Disney),” he said.

McMahon said his high school experience at Mars was very helpful because he was encouraged from every angle to excel and follow his dreams.

“A lot of teachers and coaches at Mars impacted me,” he said. “They kept me on track, gave me a lot of opportunities and took extra time with me.”

McMahon's parents, Jay and Charlene of Adams Township, are extremely proud of their son, but not surprised he was accepted into the Disney College Program.

“He was definitely always a go-getter,” said Charlene. “If he wanted to do something, he'd find a way.”

She said her son is a self-taught musician and participated in orchestra, track, wrestling and soccer at Mars.

Charlene recently traveled to Disney to visit her son, and met all his new friends.

“I think it's wonderful,” she said of the internship. “It's been such a positive experience for him.”

She enjoyed being shown around Walt Disney World by Ryan, as the family had never visited the resort before.

“It was a real treat to go to Disney and have him take me around and to see him in action,” Charlene said.

Ryan said so much more goes on than what visitors see as they traverse the park.

“It's magical,” he said. “There's a lot of people behind the scenes that make it run really smoothly. A lot of people don't see that hard work.”

Ryan's internship ends on Jan. 5, which will be his last day at the park.

“It's a great program,” he said. “You learn a lot about people and you learn a lot about yourself.”