Disney Jobs

[PreLawDelt]

So, I just graduated from college with a BA in Philosophy. I will be attending law school in a year or two, but decided to take some time off to pay down some student loan debt, and spend time with my grandparents. I am a HUGE Disney fan, so I figure I'd go apply for a job there tomorrow. I was wondering if I should be submitting my resume somewhere, or if I just go to the open call? I have retail, management, and training experience as well as a degree. Would I still be looking at a ride operator position, or if there Disney Management? (I know it exists, but I mean through the open calls)

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I've been through all this over the last 6 months and I have made it to interviews (since I was laid off from a high paid corporate position), so let me guide you through it.

You need to start at www.disneycareers.com. All resumes have to go through that site. I would look through the positions and see if there is an intern position that you can qualify for if you want to go corporate up here in Burbank/Glendale (for better salaries). Internships pay less money, but are an invaluable foot in the door for you younger types! Otherwise, try the theme park open call. That is certainly the easiest opportunity to get your foot in the door. You'll still need to post your resume on the site. (The open call folks will have absolutely no idea about how to submit or contact corporate, so don't even bother asking. All of the recruiters for each division are kept separate and the Consumer Products group doesn't know the Internet Group doesn't know the ABC Group, etc.)

It is very difficult to get into the corporate areas without knowing someone. Once you are in, it's the easiest thing to move around. They were actually voted by Forbes as the best company to start your career. That's why the College Program is so popular. CP kids are the most likely to be asked to stay on for other positions. I would suggest looking at internships in the legal divisions, since you are heading to law school. That would certainly give you some ideas and test your personal waters in that field. I have a friend who is an Admin in that department for ABC and could possibly give you some tips.

Apply for everthing you want, tailor your resume differently for each position - they use a keyword scanner to pick up pertinent words in the resumes. Expect no responses, as everyone applies to Disney because they love it.

Also, they do not communicate with you on submissions (past the canned email) and are very slow to move on hiring, so keep that in mind. I waited a good 2 months before I got a call back from ABC Family. Patience is a virtue with them. Be persistent and it will happen!

The one thing people won't tell you....
Understand that working for them is very different than just loving what they do. They are a business. They have a corporate culture, require confidentiality, and sometimes demand that your personal illusions must be shattered to make magic for others. I.E. - you may be the person that fellow DISers complain about because your team made a decision that was unpopular with the fan base for the "good of the company". The sooner you are okay with that, then the easier it will be to love your job and still love Disney while doing it!

Good luck and PM me if you want more help.
Nancy

 

[GregC]

Good info for sure..however he can know and understand the difference between "business sense and professionality" and still enjoying the "Magic" for himself.Most of us have a switch that flips on and can differentiate between them while still getting to work each day and feeling the same magic like a 5 year old yet do his or her job just fine. I will be applying one of these days as a Tuba player for the park {before I get too old, LOL} and can get to business when it comes down to it, yet be able to be bubbling over with excitement everytime I play outside NOS and watching people come off the POTC ride with huge smiles on their faces, such an awesome thing!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Don't get me wrong, you can still find the magic for yourself, it's just that the point I was going for was that Disney corporate jobs are a bit different than the "face jobs", and even then, those can be different than what you envision them to be. (Once you get into training and learn how strict the appearance code is or get called on other minor backstage/onstage violations, it starts to sink in.) I've been there - I know the reality and I still want to go back!

There's a very real difference in "having business sense (the social and intellectual ability to understand and navigate through the basic business world) and being able to turn on that professionalism switch" vs. accepting that Disney is a business with a very disctinct level of industry corporate culture and then having the realities of that culture foisted upon you. No matter what industry you work in, this can apply. (I say that after a 20 year career in various levels of medical imaging - going from starry eyed hospital tech to vendor instructor to vendor corporate administration for my product - each level is different and you never truly know what it's going to be like until you get there. I also spent 3.5 years with the "Disney operated" Disney Stores - also an eye opener.)

Many people have trouble balancing their high level of "fandom" and a career with Disney. When they realize that it is a very real job with real politics and real workplace turmoil, not "magical" and no better than the job they left, it can be a rather rude disillusionment. I've seen it even from folks that hired on with TDS and then left shortly after because it wasn't what they expected = even though they were making magic. My best friend, who has worked for Disney for over 15 years in both the Disney Stores and then in multiple WDW retail management and product development positions, has also seen this.

My husband (who has worked in production for ABC) and I were discussing this during the baby's 2am "wake up and run" last night, and he made the point that when you are up here at the main campus, most of your daily work doesn't put you 1 Kevin Bacon away from the "Magic", unless you deal directly with the licensed product. For instance, doing legal or financial contracts for televison shows isn't as interactive as designing product (that you know some small child is going to play with until it's broken) and certainly not as interactive as getting to actually make the magic in a face to face setting. Obviously, each position has it's own level of personal joy and satisfaction, but distinctly differing degrees of Pixie Dust generation.

My point was once you know that, you will be much better off and can learn to adapt. Those who don't adapt, don't survive.

(In process of waiting to be called for my next interview....)
Nancy

 

[GregC]

yeah agreed, you have to know ahead of time and mentally prepare for it.Every rose has it's thorn so to speak, still beats working in a factory or sweeping floors at Burger King where no one appreciates you though!

 

[dalepool]

Work is work
Play is play
Fun is fun.

Ponchos, you are so right.

Wonderful and useful information.

 

[Sherry E]

So, I just graduated from college with a BA in Philosophy. I will be attending law school in a year or two, but decided to take some time off to pay down some student loan debt, and spend time with my grandparents. I am a HUGE Disney fan, so I figure I'd go apply for a job there tomorrow. I was wondering if I should be submitting my resume somewhere, or if I just go to the open call? I have retail, management, and training experience as well as a degree. Would I still be looking at a ride operator position, or if there Disney Management? (I know it exists, but I mean through the open calls)

It is very hard to get into Disney on the corporate side of things - especially in today's terrible economy - but you will likely have a much better chance at it than I do/did, because you are much younger and fresh out of college. I have been steadily working for 15+ years in Admin. Asst. types of positions and I actually think that is working AGAINST me now!! (I have been out of work since February, as YellowMickeyPonchos knows!) I was also recently trying to get a job on the Disney corporate side of things, and went to a friend of a friend who used to work for Disney for many, many years. She still had some contacts there, and she submitted my resume to one of them. No reply. I submitted my resume online and applied to probably 12 positions of all kinds. No reply. The friend of a friend of mine is going to contact other people she still knows in the Disney empire, but it is TOUGH to get your foot in the door. They usually hire and promote from within the organization, so people just keep moving up and around the company, and people from other 'sides' of Disney can get into the corporate/business side easier than outsiders.

For example, one helpful Cast Member recently told me on the phone that because it is so rare that Disney brings in outsiders, the best way to get IN to the whole organization is to start with a job in Vacation Planning. That would actually be really fun, I think, if you love Disney and yyou love planning. She said those jobs are fairly easy to get because they are Customer Service-based and they can never have enough CS Reps around. They have weekend positions and part-time and things like that. Do that for a while and THEN apply for the other Disney jobs you want and it is easier to have a shot at them and move up on the ladder from there. Plus, you get all the neat Disney perks/discounts by working in VP, too! If Vacation Planning were not in Anaheim, it might be a viable option for me, but at the moment, it won't work. It is too far without a car!

Again, I think you will not have as hard a time as I have had because you are 'fresh blood' and that may be exactly what Disney wants. But if it does not work, try what the Cast Member told me and get a job in Vacation Planning. It sounds like it would be a great time and a great way to utilize one's love and knowledge of Disneyland, AND a great way to advance in the company! Good luck!

 

[PreLawDelt]

Thank you guys for all the great ingo. Poncho, I know exactly what you mean. I also no problem working my way up, and in fact, after law school intend to apply daily to the Disney Legal Department until I am picked up. (Dream Job). I actually was asking about a face to face interaction position, but someone that is "in charge". I assume when you see 10 people working the Jungle Cruise ride that someone is taking care of breaks, scheduling, discipline, etc. I was wondering if those are hired as such, or if you become a normal ride operator, and then are moved into that kind of position. I also don't need to have a ton on $ because I currently live for free and my car is paid off. I'd like to pay down some student loan debt, but I would also like to enjoy my job.

And on a totally different note...can a guy that is 5'7" be Aladdin? I think he's the only FACE character that would be even be close. Alas, I'll never be Prince Charming...

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Thank you guys for all the great ingo. Poncho, I know exactly what you mean. I also no problem working my way up, and in fact, after law school intend to apply daily to the Disney Legal Department until I am picked up. (Dream Job). I actually was asking about a face to face interaction position, but someone that is "in charge". I assume when you see 10 people working the Jungle Cruise ride that someone is taking care of breaks, scheduling, discipline, etc. I was wondering if those are hired as such, or if you become a normal ride operator, and then are moved into that kind of position. I also don't need to have a ton on $ because I currently live for free and my car is paid off. I'd like to pay down some student loan debt, but I would also like to enjoy my job.

And on a totally different note...can a guy that is 5'7" be Aladdin? I think he's the only FACE character that would be even be close. Alas, I'll never be Prince Charming...

Unofrtunately, you have to earn your stripes to become a team lead! Those people carry a lot of weight and a lot of lives on their shoulders. You need to have the experience of handling the rides on your back to do that.

Did you check the auditions web site? They would have a list of the roles they are currently casting for. Everyone wants a glamour "face" job.

PS - check the archives - someone posted a link to a really interesting LA TImes story on a guy who used to be a Jack Sparrow in the park. Gave some really unique perspective on the character roles.

Nancy

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I almost forgot - if you really are planning to try to get on with legal after law school, don't screw around with the parks - go straight to trying to get an internship with them now. The longer you play in their world, the better it will be for you later. You will have all of your networking in place and the recruiters will know you. That kind of relationship is money in your pocket!!!

Remember to focus on entertainment and/or contract law.....

Nancy