Holiday Help at Disney Store

[mindystar]

Has anyone worked at a Disney Store for the holiday season before, or will be. I'm going to apply this week and was wondering if it is as good as atmosphere as it seems. It seems to be a good fit for someone like me, but just curious to anyone's past or present experiences.
TIA

 

[Donna]

I started in fall of 98 and worked as a casual for TDS and ended up staying for almost 4 yrs. I can only tell you, it is MUCH harder than it looks. Back then TDS was held to high standards. Maybe they still are, i don't venture in the stores that often since mine closed. If they still are, you don't get to leave when the store closes, you will be expected to stay an hour or more after that to put it back together again in perfect condition. During the busy holiday season, we usually got out around midnight. Alot has changed there and i would definitely give it a try if you don't mind NOT working for disney, but for Childrens Place, aka Hoop corp. (pooh backwards). Retail is tough work. Being so busy during the holidays makes time fly. Good Luck if you do!

 

[fristbytte21]

i went as a seasonal 2 years ago and im still with the store. YES it is very hard work, but thats the fun of it. just remember that everyone there is inthe same boat as u and u r a team, disney or not. u r the ones who will be making magic for the guests, since they dont even realize we r sold to childrens place, but dont take it so hard and always have fun while ur there!

 

[BeccaGrace]

I would LOVE to work for the Disney store but it's just not realistic with our schedules right now. If I ever had the opportunity I would jump at the chance though I keep on trying to get my mom to work there for the holidays--she always finds part time jobs that let me spend money

 

[disneydreamer1970]

I start tonight at our store here!! I am pretty excited!!! I work full-time, but found this to be a great opportunity to make some extra spending money for my trip to WDW in January with my DH only (sorry kids!!)

Have a great day!!

Trish

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I have a group interview Saturday morning...can't wait!

 

[kelleigh1]

I just applied...turned in my application on Sunday. Hubby and I are looking for something else to do over the holidays to help earn some extra money for our January trip. So I applied at Disney Store and he applied at a music store. We did grab some other applications too, but these were the places we most wanted to work, so we dropped off our applications there first.

 

[MAKmom]

I started in May at TDS. I love it! We get 30% off TDS & The Childrens Place. I have 3 Girls so teh discount is great. Thats on top of sale prices. The standards are the same as when Disney owned the store. Disney was closing the stores & the Childrens Place saved them. I've noticed the prices have come down alot on everthing. The clothes are very nice. Our costumes are so much nicer then what Disney is selling. We stay 1/2 hour after the store closes.

 

[SaraMc]

I worked at the Disney Store for seven years before going to the company I work for now. It was an amazing job ( it was owned by Disney the whole time I worked there) I was able to work in two diffrent locations and it was great fun. It was a great job through school. It also was a great foundation for customer service that I use in my job now. As Im in retail managment now some of the things we look for that we looked for at Disney was a good availability. Can you work evenings and weekends? The more open your availability the better your chances. Also in group interviews why they open up the questions to everyone try to be the first one to answer. Also when others are answering try to pay attention to what they are saying. Look intrested in other peoples answers.

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Also in group interviews why they open up the questions to everyone try to be the first one to answer. Also when others are answering try to pay attention to what they are saying. Look intrested in other peoples answers.

Good luck and keep us posted

Thanks for the tip! I will keep that in mind for Saturday.

 

[msbegin]

Does your employee discount apply to park passes or just merchandise?

 

[Donna]

On the CM boards, someone mentioned that they get 3 passes a year now and they are one day hoppers that have to be ordered in advance. Only discount is the store merchandise, nowhere else. Oh how i miss those good ole days of the 35% discount on merchandise at the parks , free park entry 365 days a year and 20% on food. It was fun while it lasted though!

 

[mindystar]

Thanks everyone for your answers and support! I have already a full time job which I work Sunday through Wednesdays. I'm looking to make extra money for Christmas and then my sister's wedding next year/disney vacation. I'm also applying at Bath and Body Works. I worked retail for a little over a year about eight years ago, so I'm aware of staying after to clean up. I know at B&BW you get a 30% discount and then 20% discount at the other stores they are grouped with (Victoria's Secret, The Limited, etc.) So I may pull for that second job, since I spend more money at those stores. But either place I think I'll be happy at
Thanks again everyone!!!

 

[MiaSRN62]

I worked as a holiday cm several years ago ('98-'99). I found it enjoyable and quite low-stress compared to my normal job which I continued to do. Mainly, I worked as a store greeter and then pretty much just continually straightened up and unpacked new shipments. If I closed, I usually just had to go all around the store and straighten up (pick plush up off the floor, refold shirts etc). I never got out of the store later than 10:30 pm. If I opened (had to be there 30 min prior to opening), I had to mop the small vestibule area (a 5x5 tile floor) which could be done in about 2 minutes. Sometimes I was put on register but that was rare. I was offered to stay on after the holidays, but they were just wanting to put me on every other weekend to work and I already work every other weekend at my regular job so I turned it down. I didn't wish to give up all my weekends.
Good luck with you job applications

 

[agotta]

Thanks everyone for your answers and support! I have already a full time job which I work Sunday through Wednesdays. I'm looking to make extra money for Christmas and then my sister's wedding next year/disney vacation. I'm also applying at Bath and Body Works. I worked retail for a little over a year about eight years ago, so I'm aware of staying after to clean up. I know at B&BW you get a 30% discount and then 20% discount at the other stores they are grouped with (Victoria's Secret, The Limited, etc.) So I may pull for that second job, since I spend more money at those stores. But either place I think I'll be happy at
Thanks again everyone!!!

I would, in a hearbeat, pick TDS over BBW. I worked holidays at both, being a manager at TDS. BBW was a very tedious job. We were forced to stay in our little area, and then once the store closed, we would easily spend 4 hours putting restocking It was awful. Granted I worked at TDS when it was still Disney too, but it was great. We had a blast working holidays, and yes it is hardwork, but a lot of fun.

 

[snowiit]

On the CM boards, someone mentioned that they get 3 passes a year now and they are one day hoppers that have to be ordered in advance. Only discount is the store merchandise, nowhere else. Oh how i miss those good ole days of the 35% discount on merchandise at the parks , free park entry 365 days a year and 20% on food. It was fun while it lasted though!

The Seasonal workers don't get the park pass giveaways, unless Hoop retail has changed that, which I doubt. Also, FYI, The three that they do give regular workers each year have to be picked up at WDW. So if you are not going on a trip there that year.... you don't get the tickets either. I worked for TDS and the perks then made it worth it. I hope that Hoop has upped the hourly salary, because without the perks, TDS paid minimum wage most of the time. Not sure about seasonals, I heard that at some times they were given more money. Not sure how that works now. I DID love my days at TDS.. but after 4 years there... and leaving being paid 6.16 or so an hour with out the perks. I just couldn't bring myself to work without them. Sorry if I offended former CMS or current ones. But I sure miss the good old days of being a DISNEY CM.

Nancy

 

[Alicnwondrln]

bbw or any limited brands store is hard hard work at the holidays
i was a pt and a manager at several
if they arent fully staffed alot falls on the part timers
or if you are working for poor managers
there are sales goals, cleaning and restocking
its alot of work they will expect you to work hard, alot and LATE most malls around here close at midnight around xmas its crazy
good luck

 

[ButterflyJen]

since they dont even realize we r sold to childrens place

Wow, I didn't know that! I just started working PT at a Children's Place outlet. Interesting.

 

[westjones]

So if you work for the Disney Store, you aren't really a Disney CM? You are working for another company? Is this correct?
DJ

 

[NancyIL]

So if you work for the Disney Store, you aren't really a Disney CM? You are working for another company? Is this correct?
DJ

Yes, you'd work for Hoop Retail...owners of The Children's Place.