Hmmm..can I ask a salary question???

[obnurse2003]

We just returned this weekend and my husband and I were interested about the employees at WDW. EVERYTHING and EVERYONE was in top notch shape! We were both very impressed.

I have a question that I am just curious about. What does a park employee make as a wage/salary? I know it depends on which job you have, but Disney must be a GREAT employer since everyone seems so happy at their job!

Also, does anyone know how the characters get their jobs?
Oh, how I would have loved to have been a Princess!!!

 

[mcgrawfan]

I am not sure about the salary, but I know the CM's have to audition for the character parts. I took the Backstage Tour at MK last year and also learned that the characters have to learn how to sign autographs the same and the face characters have to learn how to apply their makeup and fix their wigs the same. Disney doesn't want guests to see Cinderella at MK and then at Epcot and have two different hairstyles and autographs.

 

[jordgubben]

I think you'll be hard pressed to get an answer on this. I've seen posted that they are not really supposed to talk about their salary and they won't on the boards because they know that people from Disney read them and they don't want to get in trouble. That being said, I've also seen people write that they'd love to go back to working for Disney but can't because of the money. I guess just because the Cast Members seem to be the happiest employees in the world doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best paid.

 

[soccer mom]

I have a friend whose daughter is/was a dancer at WDW. He said she didn't make much more than minimum wage. She made much more waitressing at Rainforest Cafe.

 

[Miscrapper]

This isn't regarding Disney World employees, but a friend of ours works for the local arena/ theatre and he said that Disney pays their stage hands very poorly and they are overworked. And they don't pay for their lodging while on the road. He was talking about people who work on Disney on Ice and other tours.

He said it is young people and most of them love the work but can't do it forever because the pay is so low!

 

[CarolA]

The Disney shows are actually Feld Entertainment and they don't pay well at all!

As for Disney, most CMs actually start at not much above minimum wage. I spoke with Disney about a professional job several years ago and as I recall it was between a 20 and 30% pay cut for me. (However... had I known! It was an acctg manager type job for AKL before it was built. If I knew what that was going to turn out to be I would have taken it anyway! LOL!)

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I imagine it could be just because they enjoy their jobs or just like Disney or something.
For instance, I wouldn't mind working there even at minimum wage- compared to some jobs I wouldn't take even if they were way over minimum wage or nice paying jobs. That's because of my love of Disney!

 

[KathyFP]

Salary isn't everything. What are the benefits?

 

[ryansmom]

KathyFP - Just what I was thinking.
I think it would neat when I retire (way off in the future) to get a part-time job at Disney and maybe the grandkids could get into the parks with a discount. Any benefits like that available??

 

[redwingsmickey]

Wonder what kind of jobs they would have for retired professionals?

It must be better than being a greeter at the local Walmart. I'll have to recommend it to my parents when dad retires. That way we'll have a WDW insider! (Of course they would have to move from Michigan, but that should be an easy sell.)

 

[Mjasp]

Disney does not pay much. They have good health benefits, not sure about retirement as I don't know anyone who has stayed that long, or at the retirement stage. I know they do hire older people. I bet one that was sooo nice to my DD when she was 3 has retired the night he met her. She was extremely tired and overwhelmed and one night when we stayed at the All Star she was crying so I took her outside while my brother and older DD shopped in the store. The man saw her crying and asked would you like a balloon, so he was so nice to get her a RED balloon. Then my DD7 came out, and he offered her one and when he came out with a GREEN balloon for her, all H*** broke loose. She started screaming and crying and I new exactly why, but the poor man, was practically shaking and didn't know what he did wrong. I told him she was fine and couldn't thank him enough for the balloons, but my brother said that my DD just put him in retirement for being so nice. She is now 7 yrs old and when we talk about that incident we get hysterical laughing that the poor man was just trying to be so nice and she really shook him up.
Anyone with kids will know what different color balloons or lollypops can do to a tired 3 year old. But it wasn't up to him to give the same color, it was up to my DD to say Thank You and be grateful she got a balloon at all, but try telling that to a tired 3 yr old. LOL

By the way OBNURSE, how did you like Vistana Resort?

 

[lrodk]

I can tell you that theme park Cm'ers, with very few exceptions, are the lowest paid workers in WDW. Hotel, restaurant, maintenance, management, make more than the average ride attendant or shop keeper. It really is a labor of love, or stepping stone/work experience type of job for most.

 

[LibertyBelle]

While I will not answer the question directly, I will tell you that it is a labor of love in the begining but it works out well the longer you are there. I have been working at Disney for 8 years and as others have stated the starting rate is just above minimum wage (which is good it is higher than the industry standard, but not enough if you do not have help from someone else...roommate, mom and dad, etc.) They do have pay raises along the way as any company would and I am now make more than I was when I was a pre-school teacher. I came to Disney for the love of the company, the parks and Walt's vision. I enjoy my job and meeting new people and being able to say "I work at Disney" (that always goes over well at family functions ). The benefits as far as the health benefits are really very good, they really take care of their CM's when it comes to that. Other than that we obviously get other benefits that I will just say are worth it. No matter how much we complain about our jobs (that happens anywhere you work) I can not tell you one person that I currently work with that would change a thing. Disney is a good employer and while it may be rough in the begining (it would be rough anywhere) if you have the passion it is very worth it That doesn't directly answer the question at hand, but I hope it sheds a little light on it.

 

[crisi]

I know a couple of performers who have worked Disney under an entertainment contract in the past. The pay isn't great, but they are doing what they love to do. Most musicians, dancers, jugglers, etc. don't have many employment opportunities to do what they love and get paid anything at all - so even a pittance is better than nothing.

 

[disneytim]

I recently attended a Disney Institute seminar in Lancaster, Pa. They told us that Disney pays in the 65% range for the region, meaning that 35% of food service jobs in Central Florida would pay more than a Disney employee would earn. That is not only in food servive but for most positions. (Excluding executives, I'm sure)

Many people just want to work there. As previous posters said: there is more to it than just money. Disney has created something that people want to be a part of. Many older, semi-retired people enjoy what Disney has to offer as an employer. WDW is the largest single-site employer in the U.S. if not the world.

Maybe I'll join 'em in a few years.

Tim

 

[Flower4Pwr]

I think the thing about working for Disney is that they make you feel important no matter how small the job or how little (or much) you get paid.
Not only that but you begin to realize pretty early on whether a job with Disney is for you or not. So most people really do enjoy their jobs or thy get out early in their career.
I know I love my job and I love it when a guest comments on how much I must like my job. The other day I had an older couple tell me that I was the first CM they had encountered on their trip who really was like what they imagined Disney cast members to be like! (To be fair their trip had just started!!) They said it made them feel like I was sincerly glad they were there! Hearing that makes me want to try even harder because I want ALL people who come through my turnstiles to feel that magic!
I think a similar trait your going to find among all CMs, no matter the job, is a love of Disney and a desire to "preserve the magic!"
That's just my take anyway!

 

[viluvsdisney]

and in his opinion, the "magic" seems to be taken away more every year. It's not the same place it was for employees 35 years ago. But - sometimes the less you know the happier you are

 

[jonnylbluejeans]

I spoke with a CM at the WL and inquired about all of the different locations printed on their badges. An awful lot of the CM's are interns at Disney. They are put up in housing that is subsidised, but still comes out of their check. The ones that do not stay past the internship have Disney on their resume, which would look great anywhere.

 

[pintrader]

well if I have learned nothing else from this thread it is that NOBODY gets paid enough to be treated like dirt just because they suffered a disappointment, they save 8 years to get to this vacation, or their child is cranky because the parents are trying to cram too much into a day.

I am glad I said something to the family that was putting some poor CM through the Spanish Inquisition at the entrance to a ride last winter. They were really off base. It was Thanksgiving, I think, and no place for the family to have a sit-down meal with their screaming, wailing child. I spoke with the CM after the family left in a fume for their own lack of foresight and planning.

All I really learned from her is that she was Part Time and didn't even get time and a half or any other special compensation for working that, or any other holiday. It was "just-above-minimum-wage" salary all day for her.

 

[katerkat]

Er, the CPs (when I was there) were paid just above minimum wage. And it was the same pay/hour for every CPer - I was a lifeguard and my roommate was a housekeeper, and we got the same amount as the food server in the parks. I'll just say that when I was a lifeguard in NJ, I was paid a good $3 more per hour. But then, I didn't have to pay for my Disney lifeguard training.

Since I was part-time, I didn't get health benefits and that stuff. However, I did get into the parks for free and got some food discounts and whatnot. It was worth it in college, just to be able to go to the parks whenever I wanted (and for Property Control, oh how I loved PC!). I didn't MAKE any money that summer, though.

I'd do it again just to work in the parks - since I don't need health insurance. Just need to convince DH he wants tanker planes so he can be stationed at MacDill!