Anyone ever consider part-time work at Disney in retirement?

[RCharnay]

We talk about it every trip. As long as the job was guest-related and not food-related, I think I'd love it. Maybe giving backstage tours or working with groups. DH would be great working backstage on the live shows or hosting a ride. As long as we can see people laughing and hear kids squeeling with joy.
You can check out jobs online. Something like disney.go.careers.com?

 

[CarolA]

Yeah, a boat captain or a monorail pilot - afterall, I can spread disinformation about mysterious crescent shape buildings just as well as the next guy!

 

[berly1657]

My husband and I both said we will be working part time at Dis for the winter months when we retire - what fun. I would pick working in air conditioning - concierge, front desk at a hotel etc...he would do whatever, maintenance etc. We joke that he could play in one of the bands that roam the streets.

In the summer we will be traveling on motorcylces. I am not sold on this yet, but that looked very appealing to him last summer on our trip out west. I thought trailering them and taking short runs would be fine. I guess we would first have to get cycles....

We have 20 years yet...

 

[a Really Bad Egg]

I'm going to drive the DVC van.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

Funny you ask. I threaten to quit my job and go to work at Disney selling turkey legs in Frontierland about twice a month, especially when things get really stressfull.

Of course, I could just move there now and start my Disney career but I wouldn't want to ruin my "retirement job"

I couldn't do this...eating the profits is too harmful to business from what I understand!! Turkey legs, beware!!!

 

[ZekeKelso]

Step 1: Get job as monorail pilot

Step 2: Get Caskbill to put his computer/engineering skills to work overriding any speed regulators or safety switches

Step 3: Crank that baby up to 100 mph

 

[CarolA]

Step 1: Get job as monorail pilot

Step 2: Get Caskbill to put his computer/engineering skills to work overriding any speed regulators or safety switches

Step 3: Crank that baby up to 100 mph

Step 4: Unemployment, but it was fun while it lasted!

 

[bnlbebes]

I'd love to retire and work for Disney - in Anaheim though, love the Southern California weather!

However...

I'm wondering how realistic a goal this is for most folks. From what I understand Disney jobs don't pay all that much. True?

And the last time she was down at WDW, my DM who is a school bus driver talked with one of the resort bus drivers. He said that Disney tends NOT to hire drivers with experience. They like to train their own from the start and pay them at entry level rates.

 

[bobbiwoz]

DH would do something in transportation, probably most likely the train....or he has also thought about working on the shore doing cruise line check-ins. On our MC in '05 we met a lovely couple who have jobs driving DVC vans. That does interest me....as does being the helper on a Friendship boat.

It's living in Florida that's stopping us. We also are thinking about Tennessee. We have also begun looking into retirement opportunities in Dollywood. It closes for the winter months. It's great having options!!!

Bobbi

 

[trampslady]

I know that we would not necessarily be working for the $$ at all if we end up spending 3-4 months of the year working for Disney. The pay is very low; however, we don't have children and hope to retire rather early (I can retire with free air travel at 47). We will definitely need something to keep us busy.

I just love the idea of doing something that we will enjoy, but not for such a long time that we decide we don't enjoy it after all!

 

[tjhsr]

Driving one of the trams has been a dream job sense my first trip in 71".The kids get a good laugh when i start saying you are parked in the mickey section aisle 38-42. Everyone at work thinks thats where i will end up some day.

 

[eporter66]

We talk about it often, living here in cold upstate NY, retiring to Florida seems like a wonderful way to live. We have often discussed that we would like to work at WDW.

The problem is, it is still work. I am sure we all fantasize at how great it would be, and I must admit that we usually encounter very friendly staff. This leads me to believe that Disney would seem to be a good employer. I would love to be :
1. Monorail Operator
2. Hotel Lobby greeter
3. Starter at one of the golf courses

I would love to read about people who have worked in their retirement for WDW.

 

[dsquarednz]

YES! We dream of this often. We truly love living in New Zealand, but it would be great to spend half of the year here and half of the year in the other place that we love (WDW) when we retire. We're wondering when we should buy property in Orlando...

The hubby would like to work for DVC, but I don't have anything specific in mind.

 

[jimmytammy]

DW and I have talked about it. I would love to have a place for winter near WDW and a place here in NC for summer. A part time job would be just right. If I were still able, I would enjoy being a valet at WL, or being a "Ranger" there. That consists of giving tours, raising the flags with the flag family, and being an ambassador for the WL.

Or driving a boat. I grew up around boats, so it would be natural for me.

Sure nice to think about!

 

[ChickieToo]

I was speaking with an older woman who was doing my DD's hair at BBB. She and her husband relocated to the Orlando area and both work at WDW. He works ride maintenance on the 3rd shift. Although they both love it and the lifestyle, after several years they are both still striving to at least have the same days off, let alone the same daytime shifts. She said it makes it hard when here grandkids come, and they have to arrange for days off, etc.

Now, back to the fantasy part ... DH and I have a boat here at home, and we talk about how great it would be if he were the captain of one of the frienship boats, and I were his crew--just like at home.

 

[mello]

We talk about it every trip. As long as the job was guest-related and not food-related, I think I'd love it. Maybe giving backstage tours or working with groups. DH would be great working backstage on the live shows or hosting a ride. As long as we can see people laughing and hear kids squeeling with joy.
You can check out jobs online. Something like disney.go.careers.com?

He's still got 6 years to go before he's eligible for retirement, but he talks about it all the time. On our first trip to WDW we met a nice bus driver who was retired, and told us how he & his dw had moved to Florida from up north and how much he enjoyed working for Disney part time now. DH has dreamed of it ever since! He will retire at a fairly young age, and will still want to do something to keep busy, and the benefits of working for Disney are attractive, even if the pay is not (as a pp pointed out, a retiree doesn't necessarily need to work for the $ as much as for the bennies). He'd probably be best suited for security, but he'd love to be a monorail operator. I would love to either be a tour guide or wedding planner.

This has been a fun thread to read - it's interesting to see what people's "dream jobs" are.

 

[Jaaron2]

Everytime I visit the World I am looking for the perfect retirement job!

 

[iluveeyore]

You are all so lucky - DH and I 'dream' of this every year when we go to WDW, but we are Canadian and don't have a snowball's chance in Florida of getting employment in the US. But I sure love reading everyone else's dreams (DH moves rails cars around at the plant where he works, so he wants to drive the train at MK, and I'm in real estate, so would love to sell DVC). Hope all your dreams come true!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I think about it a lot although unfortunately I'm more than a few years from retirement (unless I win the lottery!!). Haven't been able to pick what job yet though...

 

[minnie1]

My dh and I have absolutely decided to go back and work at Disney when we retire. Even though it is many years away, Disney is how we started our life together and we want to go back.

Dh and I met when I worked at "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" and he was working at "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". I know we get sad everytime we walk through that area because both our rides are gone. We loved working there but family and new jobs brought us up north so as soon as can go back we will.