Disney Ex Employees

i worked at the Disney Store at a large local mall for exactly 2 months in 1998

honestly, i was just curious about the interview process and getting my hands on that employee manual of the "disney look"...

out of 30 applicants, they picked 2: me and this other woman.

go figure...

anyway - i worked 4 weeks/weekends "seasonal part time", took my son to disneyworld (they knew about that one prior to hiring), enjoyed my employee discount while there on everything from food to souvenirs (woo hoo! :banana: ), then returned to work....

how do i say this delicately? - i'm not what they were looking for.

first day back, they gave me a roll of tape and a scissor and told me to go on my hands and knees throughout the perimeter of the store using the tape to pick up dirt (and you can only imagine what else....) - i suggested a vacuum, they said no, it would interfere with the guests - i then suggested coming in early with my own personal vacuum, again, no, use the tape...

so i'm crawling along on my knees with the tape and scissor, taking my life into perspective: i'm 40 years old, just got married, diagnosed with cancer, my MIL just died after my wedding, my son wants to go live with his father, i'm making minimum wage and here i am with a sharp scissor and roll of tape, crawling on my knees in an overheated store in a dorky uniform.

on the brighter side, from my vantage point, i got to watch kids of all ages trashing the store, and even a couple of teenagers stealing plushies....

oh - and a rogue balloon "popped" as it floated past me - what can i say, the scissor was in the way....

i quit that afternoon - handed in the uniform and name badge.

and they were stunned - couldn't understand why.

personally, i found the other disney employees "zombie-like", too perky, kind of "stepfordish" and almost in a euphoric state, regarding the disney company - sorry, i'm not drinking the Kool Aid....

that's my story. :wizard:

(oh - and i kept the "disney look" manual.)
 
on the brighter side, from my vantage point, i got to watch kids of all ages trashing the store, and even a couple of teenagers stealing plushies....

There were many times when I watched some kid jump into Plush Mountain, which I would have inevitably just finished straightening out. There was one time when this kid started crying when I asked some kid in the nicest of ways that he couldn't be in there becuase he could get hurt. Of course his mom came over to me and said, "You know, you could have told me he wasn't allowed in there and I would have told him to get out." I was floored by this response. I mean seriously, who lets their kid go jumping all over the fixtures at stores? So I responded with, "Well, I'm sorry ma'am, but you weren't around and I didn't have the time to ignore a store full of guests to ask each and every lady in this store who was this kids mother." She didn't like that answer so she complained to my manager, and she totally backed me up.
 
I was a CM from 1987 to 1993. I worked in Future World Operations (Imagination, Seas, Motion, Horizons) then in the VIP area at Seas then went to the Studios when they opened and worked Studio West attractions (Backstage Studio Tour, Let's Make A Deal) and then on the Mickey Mouse Club for a few seasons (that was technically Disney Channel). I also cross-utilized and taught the Innovations in Action seminar and LOVED it.

Honestly I loved being a CM but Disney is the most political company I have ever worked for and I just didn't like having to kiss my way up the corporate ladder. Disney on your resume' - especially long term - is golden so that made it all worth it.

I would love to go back on some level one day - perhaps to sell DVC memberships or back into the entertainment booking world.

I do miss the benefits!

Anyone else remember the days when the Magic Kingdom would close to guests and only be open for the cast members Xmas party?
 

I've never worked for Disney but we've billed them some hours. We are (perhaps "used to be"... it's been a while) one of their hundreds of outside counsel. Any major company (from our end) seems much like any other major company; they all have internal issues and they all drive us a little crazy. The work we do is usually monitored pretty high up the corporate food chain, so it's definitely a different experience than what is described elsewhere in this thread.
 


Disney Vacation Planning. Free. Done for You.
Our Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are here to provide personalized, expert advice, answer every question, and uncover the best discounts. Let Dreams Unlimited Travel take care of all the details, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a stress-free vacation.
Start Your Disney Vacation
Disney EarMarked Producer






DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter

Add as a preferred source on Google

Back
Top Bottom