Disney World on list of lowest-paying jobs

The people who are buying the stock, along with sponsors and other business participants.

:earsboy:

I can believe that the company earns extra money by selling sponsorships to attractions, making more attractions possible/profitable.

But I absolutely cannot believe that shareholders are subsidizing vacations.
 
I mean ready to quit the program and go home home. Not just back to the apartment.

I hope most of us don't feel like quitting our jobs come every Friday.
I know what you meant. It was mostly a facetious comment. :goodvibes But the point was that hey ... welcome to the real world. My parents were often exhausted at the end of the day and I could never figure out why. Then I had my first summer job, where I worked hard all day for normal "student / summer job" pay, and I understood. I had a lot more respect for "the working man" after that. And I spent money differently after that too, because I knew how hard it was to earn.

An "internship" or a "college program" type job is supposed to help teach you what it's like to work, day in and day out, at a real job -- what it's like to go to WORK every day. It's not supposed to be fun and smiles and laughter all day. Part of the experience is understanding within yourself how to balance the work and play to get through, and part of it is making kids understand why their college education is so important. Because without one (and these days, even WITH one), working the line at a fast food restaurant may be where your career options end.

I would imagine that most of the CP kids who feel like quitting the program and going home either had unrealistic expectations of what it was like to have "a Disney job" (ie, they'd be playing in the park all the time and not really having to work all that hard) or they are not balancing fun time and work time very well (of COURSE you're going to be exhausted and want to pack it in if every weekend or day off or evening is spent getting drunk and staying out late partying and then you have to get up at 6am to make it to your shift on time -- you have to figure out that balance).

I've worked all kinds of jobs - as I'm sure many folks have. Even the smallest of pay raises can significantly increase productivity.
But then how long after that pay raise does productivity again fall until the NEXT pay raise? If you're not giving your best at pay rate X, why should I raise your pay to pay rate Y? In the various jobs I've had, you get more pay because you've worked hard and earned it. You don't get more money in the hopes that if I give you more, you'll earn it after the fact.

:earsboy:
 
I can believe that the company earns extra money by selling sponsorships to attractions, making more attractions possible/profitable.

But I absolutely cannot believe that shareholders are subsidizing vacations.
Not directly, no. It's not as if I, as a shareholder, am giving Disney $20 to help offset costs every time you, as a guest, walk into the park. But why do you think companies sell stock? Because it brings in cash. Companies sell stock so that people will give them money.

When I bought my Disney stock, I paid them however much (I think it was around $21 at the time of my first stock purchase) and got nothing at the time except an expectation of a profitable sale if and when I decided to sell it. But the point is that I handed them a bunch of money. Money that they then used to maintain, expand and improve their business. If stockholders weren't purchasing Disney stock, that money would have to come from somewhere else. And that "somewhere else" is from higher prices at the parks.

:earsboy:
 
But then how long after that pay raise does productivity again fall until the NEXT pay raise? If you're not giving your best at pay rate X, why should I raise your pay to pay rate Y? In the various jobs I've had, you get more pay because you've worked hard and earned it. You don't get more money in the hopes that if I give you more, you'll earn it after the fact.

:earsboy:

I definitely see what you're saying and I agree. I didn't make my point about raises clear.

I haven't gotten a pay raise in three years. I work for the state, and the state has mandated no raises. I was also furloughed 6 days last fiscal year. Now, I'm really happy to have a job and take home a paycheck. But. 95% of us in my workplace have slowed down and said enough's enough. Give us just 1%. Or, don't raise our medical insurance 10%. Or, don't furlough us. My take home pay has gone down, because my salary isn't keeping up with inflation. That's where I was really going with the raise thing.

I agree that pay raises shouldn't be a given, but should be earned. For those people that don't see them for years, but are giving their job their all, it hurts morale and cuts productivity.

If a Disney employee has been in a job and given their all for several years and hasn't seen raise, I can understand why they begin to "lose" the magic.
 

I definitely see what you're saying and I agree. I didn't make my point about raises clear.

I haven't gotten a pay raise in three years. I work for the state, and the state has mandated no raises. I was also furloughed 6 days last fiscal year. Now, I'm really happy to have a job and take home a paycheck. But. 95% of us in my workplace have slowed down and said enough's enough. Give us just 1%. Or, don't raise our medical insurance 10%. Or, don't furlough us. My take home pay has gone down, because my salary isn't keeping up with inflation. That's where I was really going with the raise thing.

I agree that pay raises shouldn't be a given, but should be earned. For those people that don't see them for years, but are giving their job their all, it hurts morale and cuts productivity.
Ah ... yes. Totally makes sense from that standpoint. Sucks for you, but makes sense!

If a Disney employee has been in a job and given their all for several years and hasn't seen raise, I can understand why they begin to "lose" the magic.
Honestly? That's virtually impossible unless the Disney CM in question isn't keeping track of their paychecks and simply doesn't care. I can't remember a year when hourlies didn't get at least a basic cost-of-living increase. I can remember times when the salaried CMs were told that raises would be delayed due to cash flow needs, but never a time when there were no annual bump-ups. Execs have, from time to time, forgone raises -- the last time merits were handed out, no one on an executive level got one so that everyone on the middle-manager level could. Those positions covered by union contracts get raises every year no matter what. Maybe not huge raises, but they get what they agreed on during negotiations.

:earsboy:
 
Not directly, no. It's not as if I, as a shareholder, am giving Disney $20 to help offset costs every time you, as a guest, walk into the park. But why do you think companies sell stock? Because it brings in cash. Companies sell stock so that people will give them money.

When I bought my Disney stock, I paid them however much (I think it was around $21 at the time of my first stock purchase) and got nothing at the time except an expectation of a profitable sale if and when I decided to sell it. But the point is that I handed them a bunch of money. Money that they then used to maintain, expand and improve their business. If stockholders weren't purchasing Disney stock, that money would have to come from somewhere else. And that "somewhere else" is from higher prices at the parks.

:earsboy:

That sounds like a pyramid scheme. When you give Disney $20, it goes into the company funding something that leads to the creation of more cash -- selling vacations at a loss and then using investment money to cover the difference sounds borderline illegal.
 
Not directly, no. It's not as if I, as a shareholder, am giving Disney $20 to help offset costs every time you, as a guest, walk into the park. But why do you think companies sell stock? Because it brings in cash. Companies sell stock so that people will give them money.

When I bought my Disney stock, I paid them however much (I think it was around $21 at the time of my first stock purchase) and got nothing at the time except an expectation of a profitable sale if and when I decided to sell it. But the point is that I handed them a bunch of money. Money that they then used to maintain, expand and improve their business. If stockholders weren't purchasing Disney stock, that money would have to come from somewhere else. And that "somewhere else" is from higher prices at the parks.

:earsboy:

I curious when this was. Simply buying stock in a company does not finance the company unless it is a new issue of shares. Does anyone know when they have needed to issue stock?
 
I curious when this was. Simply buying stock in a company does not finance the company unless it is a new issue of shares. Does anyone know when they have needed to issue stock?

The closest example I can think is when they broke out Go.com as a separate stock offering, which promptly tanked and was ultimately bought back by the company (Go shares were exchanged for Disney shares) -- at a loss for anyone who invested in this mistaken idea of a Web "portal."
 
Honestly? That's virtually impossible unless the Disney CM in question isn't keeping track of their paychecks and simply doesn't care. I can't remember a year when hourlies didn't get at least a basic cost-of-living increase.

:earsboy:

I wasn't aware that Disney did cost of living raises. That changes everything in my eyes. Since my workplace doesn't give cost of living raises, I assumed it was a given practice in a lot of industries. I'm suffering from the "we're taking more, while expecting more" philosophy.

My perfect world has two raise scales. 1. Cost of living, which everyone gets. 2. Merit raises based on performance.

It sounds like Disney still upholds that practice. Which is a very good thing.
 
I wasn't aware that Disney did cost of living raises. That changes everything in my eyes. Since my workplace doesn't give cost of living raises, I assumed it was a given practice in a lot of industries. I'm suffering from the "we're taking more, while expecting more" philosophy.

My perfect world has two raise scales. 1. Cost of living, which everyone gets. 2. Merit raises based on performance.

It sounds like Disney still upholds that practice. Which is a very good thing.

I think it depends on union/non-union, hourly/salary, etc. The company doesn't give a cost-of-living raise to everyone.
 
I don't think anyone would expect an entry level castmember to earn $80,000...but a living wage would be nice, don't you think?

I'd like to see ANY of us here to try to live on $19,000 a year!!! That's a BIG difference from $80,000!

However, with basic supply and demand there is no set "living wage." More money paid equals more demand on the limited goods and services available and increased price of production to offset the increased wages paid...so prices rise until again the bottom tier exists that has limited access to the good things in life....lather, rinse and repeat.

It would be interesting to have a real number cruncher play with the numbers at various salaries to see what $$ earned gets you the most bang for your buck when the tax ramifications and available social service benefits are factored in. I somehow suspect there are wages that at first blush seem low that have you further ahead in "lifestyle" than another wage that seems higher...or put another way, when you add in what a $19K employee can get from programs and factor in that they are not really paying taxes they are probably further ahead in the rat race than we think.....particularly for the level of skills/education investments necessary to qualify for the job.
 
I don't think anyone making $8.90 an hour is buying a $200,000 house. And state income tax doesn't enter the picture at that level -- as a previous poster pointed out, the Disney average would work out to just above $18,000 a year on a full-time basis. With the standard exemptions, they aren't paying much in taxes at all (if anything). Most states base income taxes on federal taxes, and nearly half of all U.S. households pain no income tax last year (typically a family of four, including two children, who earn $50,000 a year or less -- or more than the value of two full-time Disney jobs).

isn't that part of why we have the mortage mess...$8.90/hr people "buying" $200K houses with no money down and an interest only timebomb? :lmao: In CA the $18K employee would have to pay State Income taxes...so they are farther ahead in FL....
 
Hey, Conck!

Heya!

Honestly? That's virtually impossible unless the Disney CM in question isn't keeping track of their paychecks and simply doesn't care. I can't remember a year when hourlies didn't get at least a basic cost-of-living increase. I can remember times when the salaried CMs were told that raises would be delayed due to cash flow needs, but never a time when there were no annual bump-ups. Execs have, from time to time, forgone raises -- the last time merits were handed out, no one on an executive level got one so that everyone on the middle-manager level could. Those positions covered by union contracts get raises every year no matter what. Maybe not huge raises, but they get what they agreed on during negotiations.

:earsboy:


The issue is that raises do not cover the increased cost of health insurance.

Since I was under a "newer" contract, I got 4% a year. It worked out to about $0.50 an hour last year, or $20 a week.

The cost of covering myself and my partner under the HMO went from $28 a week to $78 a week.
 
However, with basic supply and demand there is no set "living wage." More money paid equals more demand on the limited goods and services available and increased price of production to offset the increased wages paid...so prices rise until again the bottom tier exists that has limited access to the good things in life....lather, rinse and repeat.

Going with Supply and Demand. It seems that Disney is very fair at setting its wages. If they weren't they would not be able to fill the positions that they need. From my understanding you don't just walk in to casting and leave with a new job. Likewise with the college program many apply some are accepted.
 
Just wanted to go back to the topic that a PP had raised that the CP is basically a sham or something like that...sorry I didn't go back a couple pages to give the exact quote! I did my CP in merchandise in Fall '04 and it is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything!!! HOWEVER, there are both good and bad and I knew that going into the experience. I am a Disney nut and had ALWAYS dreamed of living and working at Disney so this was my way of doing that for a semester. The CP is what you put into it. For some it is a semester long party at either Vista Way or Chatham Square (the apartment complexes) for others like myself it is a lot of hard work and AMAZING opportunities for networking. In addition to working A LOT and I mean A LOT of hours (I was there during F&W festival, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) I also took 2 classes through Disney University that I got credit at my home university for. I went to a ton of networking opportunities that was provided to CPrs. I met so many corporate elites from TWDC. Thanks to all of that I came out with 12 hours of credit so I still graduated on time, a glowing letter of recommendation for graduate school from a high level Disney Executive that I met at a seminar and kept in contact with throughout my program, and lots of wonderful memories of guest interaction. The first thing I'm always asked about on my resume is almost always my Disney CP!

Now having said all that...yes I was overworked and paid minimum wage. Basically working 50-60 hours a week, taking two classes a week, attending seminars, and trying to still have a life. It was a lot of work...I was Mickey's little slave....:rotfl2::rotfl2: AND I STILL WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING
 
isn't that part of why we have the mortage mess...$8.90/hr people "buying" $200K houses with no money down and an interest only timebomb? :lmao: In CA the $18K employee would have to pay State Income taxes...so they are farther ahead in FL....

in short...yes...orlando is one of the poster children for why "owning" is not anywhere close to better than renting in alot of places...

i can think of no better lambs to the slaughter of the real estate robber barons than disney employees in central florida...

that's not to say that those that take out loans are guiltless...but the institutional get rich scheme on realty in this country was and still is inexcusable...
 
That sounds like a pyramid scheme. When you give Disney $20, it goes into the company funding something that leads to the creation of more cash -- selling vacations at a loss and then using investment money to cover the difference sounds borderline illegal.

They are not "selling vacations at a loss". :rolleyes2 For goodness sake ... welcome to the world of business.

Why do you think businesses sell stock? They do it to bring in money so that they have some operating funds. If not, then consumers would have to provide 100% of the cost of something, and none of us would be able to afford anything.

Let's make believe that one person's WDW ticket was equal to the daily pay of one WDW CM. (It's not, but for sake of example, let's go with that.) There are 55,000 CMs at WDW. So the first 55,000 people through the gate on any given day are doing nothing more than paying the salaries of the CMs. If you look at an average of 120,000 guest per day (WDW's annual estimated attendance of 47,000,000 divided by 365), that means that just under half of the money coming in every single day goes to simply paying cast their hourly pay rate. Doesn't include benefits or costuming or any other CM costs. And, really ... a good percentage of the people walking in the gate every day are using APs or comp tickets or the 10th day on a 10-day pass, which costs about $3, so it's not really equitable, but let's imagine that it is.

So ... you've paid the cast and you have 65% of your gate income left. That has to cover everything else -- ride and show development, maintenance, utilities, transportation, lighting, audio, safety, costumes, parade floats, attraction parts, equipment, decorations, water, fireworks, etc. Obviously, what's coming in the gate is not covering 100% of what it takes to offer the Guest the vacation they get when they walk through the gate.

The company says, "Gee ... how are we going to cover the rest of that cost?" They could double the cost of tickets, but that's not likely to go over well. So they find sponsors for things they can find sponsors for, and they get the rest of the money by issuing stock. People like me purchase stock and provide Disney with an influx of cash to continue building and operating the parks. Then, if Disney has done their job properly and used my money well, in a few years when I need some funds, I sell that stock for more money than I paid for it, thereby netting myself a profit. Somebody else buys the stock I just sold, thereby sending more money into Disney to use as above. Lather / rinse / repeat.

Basically, I've loaned WDW $21 per share of the stock that I've purchased, and when I sell it later for $34 a share, I make a little money for having done that. Not exactly a pyramid scheme.

Welcome to capitalism and the stock market.

:earsboy:
 
They are not "selling vacations at a loss". :rolleyes2 For goodness sake ... welcome to the world of business.

Why do you think businesses sell stock? They do it to bring in money so that they have some operating funds. If not, then consumers would have to provide 100% of the cost of something, and none of us would be able to afford anything.

Let's make believe that one person's WDW ticket was equal to the daily pay of one WDW CM. (It's not, but for sake of example, let's go with that.) There are 55,000 CMs at WDW. So the first 55,000 people through the gate on any given day are doing nothing more than paying the salaries of the CMs. If you look at an average of 120,000 guest per day (WDW's annual estimated attendance of 47,000,000 divided by 365), that means that just under half of the money coming in every single day goes to simply paying cast their hourly pay rate. Doesn't include benefits or costuming or any other CM costs. And, really ... a good percentage of the people walking in the gate every day are using APs or comp tickets or the 10th day on a 10-day pass, which costs about $3, so it's not really equitable, but let's imagine that it is.

So ... you've paid the cast and you have 65% of your gate income left. That has to cover everything else -- ride and show development, maintenance, utilities, transportation, lighting, audio, safety, costumes, parade floats, attraction parts, equipment, decorations, water, fireworks, etc. Obviously, what's coming in the gate is not covering 100% of what it takes to offer the Guest the vacation they get when they walk through the gate.

The company says, "Gee ... how are we going to cover the rest of that cost?" They could double the cost of tickets, but that's not likely to go over well. So they find sponsors for things they can find sponsors for, and they get the rest of the money by issuing stock. People like me purchase stock and provide Disney with an influx of cash to continue building and operating the parks. Then, if Disney has done their job properly and used my money well, in a few years when I need some funds, I sell that stock for more money than I paid for it, thereby netting myself a profit. Somebody else buys the stock I just sold, thereby sending more money into Disney to use as above. Lather / rinse / repeat.

Basically, I've loaned WDW $21 per share of the stock that I've purchased, and when I sell it later for $34 a share, I make a little money for having done that. Not exactly a pyramid scheme.

Welcome to capitalism and the stock market.

:earsboy:

1) A purchase of stock is not a loan. That's a bond.
2) Unless you got in on Disney's IPO or bought stock the last time Disney issued new stock -- which hasn't happened in a long time -- you didn't give a penny to the company when you bought you share. You bought your stock from someone else or (more likely) an institutional investor.
3) When you later sell it at $34, the company didn't give you any money. Whoever buys your stock does, unless the company is buying back its own stock. And your sale of the stock doesn't "give" Disney anything. You are transferring your stake of ownership to someone else. That's it.
4) Your example is full of guesses and estimates and doesn't take into account all the other ways Disney profits from a guest's entry into the park: Meals, souvenirs, tours, classes, and other experiences. Not to mention hotels and all the ways people spend money there -- that all counts.
5) Find me some hard numbers that proves your point and I'll happily believe you. But don't come up with a bunch of guesses and "for the sake of examples" and so forth and declare it to be fact. It's not. I suggest you start with Disney's annual reports -- where it's pretty clear theme parks earn a healthy return on investment. No shareholder money needed.
 
They are not "selling vacations at a loss". :rolleyes2 For goodness sake ... welcome to the world of business.

Not to mention the upkeep costs on hotel rooms at WDW (including all related labor) is about $35 per room (it's about $60 for club level). As long as they are getting at least that much per room, the rest is all profit.
 
Not to mention the upkeep costs on hotel rooms at WDW (including all related labor) is about $35 per room (it's about $60 for club level). As long as they are getting at least that much per room, the rest is all profit.

Right. That's my point -- the theme parks (including hotels) earn enough money on their own -- and plenty of it. The other poster seems to think these things cost Disney more than what they charge guests, and then the company makes up for that loss through stock issues.
 














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