Do you work at the Disney Store?

[I Believe In Magic]

Just wondering if anyone on here works there, and what kinds of perks do you get, specifically for the parks. Thanks in advance for any info!!

Samantha

 

[Kfyr23]

My wife worked there for a while benefits were great she got in free and got eight free tickets a year. That was until disney sold it. Disney no longer owns The Disney Store, it was purchased by the childrens place clothing store. She lost all her benifits which made the minimum wage not worth working there anymore.

 

[KevinW]

My wife worked there last christmas season. Since she was not a Disney Employee (childrens place), no perks. She stopped working there after the seasonal rush was over. Good thing too, because if we were picked for a dream wish for our next Disney vaca, there might be some trouble.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

We get 3 one day passes a year, but you must be present in order to get the passes and if you don't use them, you lose them. Basically that is all of the benefits we get for the parks at this point.

 

[klj27]

I worked there/managed there from 92-98, back in the good old days of Disney. I have so many free pins, buttons, movies, watches, MBBP, and a leather jacket. When I was a manager my husband and I both got a silver pass. We could each get four people into the parks for free everyday of the year. We also got 50% off of our hotel rooms and 35% off of our merchandising and table service. I am still using the comp passes that we would get twice a year. We had some great vacations then.

I really don't think there is any benefit to working there now.

 

[I Believe In Magic]

Thanks for your replies. That stinks!! Maybe I should not even bother than. I need a real job, but I want a fun one instead. LOL
Thanks!!

Samantha

 

[mystic_path]

WOW I wonder why Disney let go of the Disney Store, you would think it would generate more income for the parks.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

WOW I wonder why Disney let go of the Disney Store, you would think it would generate more income for the parks.

That's what we all thought too. However if a CM comes to the Stores, they receive a 30% discount, however it doesn't apply for us at the parks. Somethings just don't make any sense!

 

[LMCT88]

Hi all, started working at the Disney Store last November, and now I am thinking I may have made a mistake by doing so. In the beginning it was alot of fun, (I was new, so I didn't know any better). Just seems that I am starting to feel like the pressure that you have to sell sell sell, and there's no commission or any perk for the more you do, so I work my butt of and other people just don't bother doing as much. Also the scheduling seems to really stink, with call-in shifts and stuff. It just doesn't seem to be worth it to me to stay for 7.50 an hour. I just feel like I am doing more work, and all the pressure to sell, is just getting to me. I do have other options. That are closer to my house, so I wouldn't have to drive about 25 minutes out of my way. So I guess my question is what would you do, look for another job, closer to home. I mean I can make 7.50 at marketbasket down the street lol. I guess today was just a yucky day at work. Hope someone can share there thoughts. Thanks a bunch.

 

[klj27]

I am not telling you to quit, but I would really consider all the options. When I left Disney it had gotten so bad that I didn't like anything Disney for awhile. Don't let it get to that point.

 

[sandybobandy]

I worked at the Disney Store during this past Christmas season and couldn't take it after January. The store I was at was also VERY sales motivated and we were (not gently) pushed to get guests to buy buy buy. Plus, I didn't find the quality of much of the merchandise to be that great.
Sure, they call you a "Cast Member" but in the eyes of the "real" Disney, you may as well get a part time job at Kohl's. lol

I wish you luck in whatever you decide!

 

[Nancymousehouse]

I spent 15 happy years at The Disney Store....the REAL Disney Store! I spent just 1 year at the Children's Place version of the Disney Store. :-( Those 15 years were some of my happiest memories ever. It was more than the perks however, it was the pride of working for and representing The Walt Disney Company! It's so sad they had to sell. I tried so hard for that final year after the takeover to keep up my motto of "I Still Work For Walt". In other words, it may not have been OWNED by Disney, but as far as I was concerned I was "Still Working for Walt", and still representing HIS company! Hence, I coined the phrase "I Still Work For Walt". Roy Disney even acknowledged me in his now defunct website, "Savedisney.com". But in the end, no one at Children's Place even cared that THEY were now representing the Walt Disney Company. No one there even knows what a real Disney person is. So sad.
So I say this, if you decide to give TCP a try, always remember to be the best "fake castmember" you can be; be a "Disney" person. There are guests out there who truly know the difference -- and they care!!

 

[I Believe In Magic]

well I sure love this board, you all saved me from a job that sounds like the one I already have!! I work at Bath & Body Works, and we are forced to sell sell sell too. And the call in shifts are insane. You waste your whole day to maybe work from 6-9 and you have to call at 5 to find out?!?! Sooo not worth it in my eyes. I guess there is nothing you can do for the love of Disney unless you live near the parks. Oh well, I guess we can all dream of living there, but realistically it isn't happening for 99% of us. LOL Plus I read somewhere on here that someone was going for interviews and all that jazz and it sounds pretty hard to get in as a CM. Hardly worth moving the fam for. hahaha
Thanks again for all the replies, it is great to hear from an inside source!! And B&BW is great for sales and they have awesome coupons, but I find I spend more $$ there than I should. So keep that in mind, and work somewhere that doesn't eat your whole paycheck!

Samantha (addidcted to body products.....)

 

[LMCT88]

Thanks everyone. I am chalking up my experience to one bad day. I figure, yes I could leave, but would probably end up making about the same amount of money, not that would be issue. (I work part-time, and the rest of the time I am home with my kids). I do work for great manager, I guess everyone has a bad day now and then. I guess it's just retail (I am told retail is retail, there's not too much of a difference. I think my biggest problem was that I feel like I work my butt off (for less money then I made before, I left a job making twice as much but had way more stress). My family says I am less stressed in the 6 months I have been at the Disney Store. I guess I can take it in stride like another person said, and just be sure to do a good job when my managers are around or when there in ear shot, this may make things alot easier and I may not put undo pressure on myself. (guess if they don't hear or see me they can't say much if I am not pushing sales lol). I also think it may have been like I said a bad day, and I turned 40 this year. (still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up lol). So for now I will stick it out, at least I made it through one Christmas Season, so I know what to expect. I shall keep you all posted. Thanks again for letting me ramble on. This board is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!