please read and help me out

[alienrottweiler7]

thank you. i really need a smart choice for that reason, where am i going to be in 10 years. because i either want to move up or atleast get enough experience to get another good hotel job outside of the company, and yes i love hotels and could easily work for them as a life long carrer. i write screenplays at home so if that ever fails hotels are my back up plan. also i like the hour for disney simply because i can get an education in buisness since i would be done by 1 everyday.im just scared that disney isnt everything they make it out to be and the hard rock wont consider me again. i love both of thee hotels and they are my personal favorite from each park.and they guy i talked about is my best friends dad and hes been in the company for 25 years so disney mmight be a slow moving process. if anyone has worked at either job please give me some pros and cons about it because im 100% taking one of them so please dont try and change my mind and also everyone be mature. this job is going to be with me possibly for years so its an important choice to me.

[alienrottweiler7]

i would say its a tie between both of them because at disney they seem happy but hard working, hard rock seems happy but a little bit laid back and lazy. but ive heard that disney is more strict but thats not a good thing if everyone at the hard rock is lazy and immature.

[Planogirl]

It's possible to be laid back without being lazy and immature. Not being stressed out on the job has its upside too.

Good luck figuring it out.

[WDSearcher]

What do you want to be when you grow up? And I'm not being sarcastic -- I'm in my 40s and people still ask me that!

You need to stick with the job that will get you to the job you really want to be doing.

You mentioned screenwriting -- if that's your goal, then Disney is going to give you a better opportunity to move in that direction. Not because they make movies, but because the theme parks have more live, scripted entertainment. At Disney, you can start out as the "pool boy" (for lack of a better term ...) and work your way into other areas. Less of a likelihood with Hard Rock.

Here's an example .... you're handing out towels at WL for an hourly rate. During the busiest times of year -- Christmas, Easter, etc -- you grab some extra hours on the "Extra Hour Hotline". One of those assignments is working parade crowd control. So, you do that a couple of times and you meet some of the people who work on the parades. Maybe you audition to be a Character or a parade performer, if for no other reason than to meet a few more folks in Entertainment. Every time there's a big special event, you grab some extra hours, and now you're meeting more Entertainment CMs. A year or so in, maybe you go for a professional internship in Entertainment, or maybe you ask someone you've met along the way who they know in one of the Creative or Show Production areas who might let you shadow them for a day, or even just meet with you for a half-hour to talk about what it is you want to do. When you meet with them, you ask if there's any way you could maybe meet one of the Disney Show Directors, because they're the guys who actually write the live shows and you'd love to find out how they got THEIR jobs. Someone encourages you to submit a resume and a writing sample for the Show Director Bench, so that when they need scripts for special events or conventions, you could be considered. And you move up throughout the Entertainment or Convention ranks, meeting people and writing show treatments along the way. Ten or fifteen years from now, you're writing convention shows or scripting stage shows ... all of which started with a job handing out towels at WL.

It's not easy, but that kind of job growth is possible at Disney, if you spend the time and energy working at it.

I don't know that you can take a similar route working at Hard Rock. IMO, by sheer size and diversity of product, Disney will provide you with more opportunities than Hard Rock will. But it will be up to you to make the most of those opportunities. It's still all on you.

[Robinrs]

Originally Posted by alienrottweiler7

i would say its a tie between both of them because at disney they seem happy but hard working, hard rock seems happy but a little bit laid back and lazy. but ive heard that disney is more strict but thats not a good thing if everyone at the hard rock is lazy and immature.

I think the "laid back and lazy" is more cool and chill. I've stayed at the Hard Rock numerous times and love their cool vibe. Beats the pixie dust, which I'm sort of allergic to...

Both are jobs, not stepping stones to a career. If you plan on pursuing a career in screenwriting I'd advise schooling and networking. You'll need a portfolio and an agent and a LOT of luck!

Good luck!

[Luv2Scrap]

Originally Posted by WDSearcher

What do you want to be when you grow up? And I'm not being sarcastic -- I'm in my 40s and people still ask me that!

You need to stick with the job that will get you to the job you really want to be doing.

You mentioned screenwriting -- if that's your goal, then Disney is going to give you a better opportunity to move in that direction. Not because they make movies, but because the theme parks have more live, scripted entertainment. At Disney, you can start out as the "pool boy" (for lack of a better term ...) and work your way into other areas. Less of a likelihood with Hard Rock.

Here's an example .... you're handing out towels at WL for an hourly rate. During the busiest times of year -- Christmas, Easter, etc -- you grab some extra hours on the "Extra Hour Hotline". One of those assignments is working parade crowd control. So, you do that a couple of times and you meet some of the people who work on the parades. Maybe you audition to be a Character or a parade performer, if for no other reason than to meet a few more folks in Entertainment. Every time there's a big special event, you grab some extra hours, and now you're meeting more Entertainment CMs. A year or so in, maybe you go for a professional internship in Entertainment, or maybe you ask someone you've met along the way who they know in one of the Creative or Show Production areas who might let you shadow them for a day, or even just meet with you for a half-hour to talk about what it is you want to do. When you meet with them, you ask if there's any way you could maybe meet one of the Disney Show Directors, because they're the guys who actually write the live shows and you'd love to find out how they got THEIR jobs. Someone encourages you to submit a resume and a writing sample for the Show Director Bench, so that when they need scripts for special events or conventions, you could be considered. And you move up throughout the Entertainment or Convention ranks, meeting people and writing show treatments along the way. Ten or fifteen years from now, you're writing convention shows or scripting stage shows ... all of which started with a job handing out towels at WL.

It's not easy, but that kind of job growth is possible at Disney, if you spend the time and energy working at it.

I don't know that you can take a similar route working at Hard Rock. IMO, by sheer size and diversity of product, Disney will provide you with more opportunities than Hard Rock will. But it will be up to you to make the most of those opportunities. It's still all on you.

I like this reply!

I have a sister-in-law that has worked at Disney and hated it, but her dad was an engineer there for years and loved it. You have to go into it knowing it is not going to be a fairy-tale dream job, but it CAN open doors for you, and it looks really good on a resume. And if the hours are good and you can go to school while working there, EVEN BETTER!!

[Hannathy]

What is your degree in? Without a degree you won't move very far at Disney (or anywhere actually) I know this for a fact.

As far as living comfortable as what? possibly a supervisor of pool attendants? You aren't going to go further than that without a degree, especially now and in this economy.

Disney is also well known to not be high paying.

If you are using this as a job while in school I'm sure either would be good and I'd go on which is more flexible so I could schedule classes.

[JessicaR]

Hard Rock in a heartbeat. I have been going there since they opened and many employees are still there 10-12 years later. They really seem to love their jobs. As far as moving up within a company - you can do anything you put your mind to. Best of luck to you!

[RitaE]

One is with tips and one without? I'd choose the one with tips.

I wouldn't worry too much about making a do not hire list just over turning down a job offer. The Florida tourist places are pretty used to employees moving between them.

[ChristmasElf]

Moving up within Disney is NOT easy. Even with a degree it takes a long time and there are never any guarantees. Disney is not high paying either as they figure they can get just about anyone to replace you when you leave.

One of the things I HATE is lets say you work full time and your days off are Wednesday and Thursdays every week.
Come November, you will be lucky and get Thanksgiving off. Lets say that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fall the days of Wed and Thurs that December. Guess what? Those same people that were off for Thanksgiving, also get Christmas off to enjoy time with their family. Doesn't matter if you have kids, a sick Grandmother, if you are normally working on Thursdays, you WILL be working Thanksgiving.
I hate that there is no flexibility on that. And it doesn't matter what status you are for that rule either.

A few people I have worked with in the past have moved over to Universal and like the working conditions much better and have more flexibilty.

[declansdad]

Originally Posted by SandrA9810

I vote neither. Neither will ever give you a dream job. You'll work your butt off in the hot summer sun, be completely under appreciated, and never make enough to cover the bills.

Go find yourself a real job if you want a comfortable living. This isn't South Beach or Vegas.

What a dumb thing to say! This is a real job and it is always much easier to move up if you actually have a foot in the door.

Where do you work again?

[doxdogy]

Originally Posted by Hannathy

What is your degree in? Without a degree you won't move very far at Disney (or anywhere actually) I know this for a fact.

As far as living comfortable as what? possibly a supervisor of pool attendants? You aren't going to go further than that without a degree, especially now and in this economy.

Disney is also well known to not be high paying.

If you are using this as a job while in school I'm sure either would be good and I'd go on which is more flexible so I could schedule classes.

So in order to move up in any corporation (not Disney), you MUST have a degree? I know for a fact that this is not true. A former boss at a major corporation started fresh out of high school and made it to Director without a degree. My brother worked at a baby of the company (think divestiture) and climbed up the ladder without a degree.

Three of my former bosses made it to the top NCO position in the Army without a degree.

There are people without a degree that do well in their chosen careers.

[Hannathy]

Originally Posted by doxdogy

So in order to move up in any corporation (not Disney), you MUST have a degree? I know for a fact that this is not true. A former boss at a major corporation started fresh out of high school and made it to Director without a degree. My brother worked at a baby of the company (think divestiture) and climbed up the ladder without a degree.

Three of my former bosses made it to the top NCO position in the Army without a degree.

There are people without a degree that do well in their chosen careers.

And how long ago did these people do this? Today the chances you will even be hired with out at least a AD or certificate program are slim.

Yes you used to be able to do it.

I do know that Disney wants you to have a degree. I know someone who was told by Disney they could go no higher because they didn't have their degree and if they were being hired today they never would have been.

[crashbb]

Originally Posted by declansdad

What a dumb thing to say! This is a real job and it is always much easier to move up if you actually have a foot in the door.

Where do you work again?

Well said!

OP - I've never looked into working at either WDW or Universal, so I cannot help with your choice; however, don't let the comments (like the one declansdad quoted) stop you from choosing one of them!

Good luck to you.

[declansdad]

Originally Posted by Hannathy

And how long ago did these people do this? Today the chances you will even be hired with out at least a AD or certificate program are slim.

Yes you used to be able to do it.

I do know that Disney wants you to have a degree. I know someone who was told by Disney they could go no higher because they didn't have their degree and if they were being hired today they never would have been.

You know someone?? Do you have any first hand knowledge?