How does D.land's compensation for new CMs contrast with this?

[Jcruise86]

I saw this sign at an In 'n' Out in LaVerne, CA today. (LaVerne is east of San Dimas and north of Pomona.)

How does this contrast with what Disneyland's new CMs get?

 

[VandVsmama]

No idea what the pay range is for CMs.

 

[sjmac42]

It is what it is I guess. Maybe one reason some previous cast members have perhaps moved on to other things.

 

[DLgal]

In N Out has consistently paid above typical fast food places, even going back to the mid 90s. I had friends in HS working there making about $12/hr. This is not surprising at this point.

Disneyland starts CMs at, I believe, around $16 currently.

 

[DizMe]

My daughter was a CM in entertainment, which paid a little better than other CM categories. However, Disney just called her to let her know she could come back, but not in entertainment as many (most?) of those jobs are not being filled at the moment. She's currently making pretty good money as a barista so she politely told them that she would love to come back to an entertainment job but until then, she'll keep her current job. They were very nice and said they'd get back to her if/when those positions open back up. She's a smart girl who makes good decisions, but I liked having a CM in the family

 

[FireflyJar]

My younger brother was a CM at Disneyland for 19 years. (2000-2019) He worked in resort transportation (lots of different jobs, from getting characters where they needed to be to driving the trams). At the end of his time there, he made $15.00. He started when the minimum wage circled around $5.15 or so. Obviously, he didn't return when the park reopened as he lives an hour away. It's unfortunate that doing a job he loved didn't make financial sense.

 

[DizMe]

My daughter was a CM in entertainment, which paid a little better than other CM categories. However, Disney just called her to let her know she could come back, but not in entertainment as many (most?) of those jobs are not being filled at the moment. She's currently making pretty good money as a barista so she politely told them that she would love to come back to an entertainment job but until then, she'll keep her current job. They were very nice and said they'd get back to her if/when those positions open back up. She's a smart girl who makes good decisions, but I liked having a CM in the family

So to update this, Disney did call her back to offer her a character host position (those are the CMs that help out with character lines and assist the characters in various ways). She asked for a few days to consider. She told me she doesn't want to have to commute from her place in Irvine for a job that isn't going to pay her as much as her current one. She's a full-time student in her senior year and active in musical theatre. I didn't share this opinion with her, but to me it's sad that she can't actually entertain as an entertainment CM, since that's her field, and worse that Disney doesn't pay enough to equal a coffee shop job yet expects so much.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

So to update this, Disney did call her back to offer her a character host position (those are the CMs that help out with character lines and assist the characters in various ways). She asked for a few days to consider. She told me she doesn't want to have to commute from her place in Irvine for a job that isn't going to pay her as much as her current one. She's a full-time student in her senior year and active in musical theatre. I didn't share this opinion with her, but to me it's sad that she can't actually entertain as an entertainment CM, since that's her field, and worse that Disney doesn't pay enough to equal a coffee shop job yet expects so much.

A bit off topic but is your daughter studying theater at UCI? My daughter is a freshman in high school and her dream (if she doesn’t get into a prestigious acting academy) is to go to a college close enough to Disneyland to be a CM.

 

[DizMe]

A bit off topic but is your daughter studying theater at UCI? My daughter is a freshman in high school and her dream (if she doesn’t get into a prestigious acting academy) is to go to a college close enough to Disneyland to be a CM.

Yes, she is! She's in the BFA program. Originally, she applied to several schools and was hoping for NY or another school I can't recall except that it was in a cold state in the midwest lol, but she didn't get in. She got into UCLA, Irvine, and I can't remember the other one. She decided on Irvine because she also wanted to be a CM and had heard they (UCI) had the better musical theatre program. She went through a GRUELING audition for Disney entertainment and worked a year as a character host and singer/dancer for special events. She can't decide what she wants to do now with Disney; she'd love to do entertainment but isn't too keen on returning to character hosting. If she knew it would lead to actual entertainment jobs, that would make a difference, although she's so busy with school (and work) that the commute doesn't appeal. She just landed a prime role in the school musical and auditioned and got into all of the big things for the UCI theatre program. It was a whirlwind of auditioning last week/into this week. This is her senior year but since she go accepted into the BFA program, she'll probably have to go another quarter into next year.

Best of luck to your daughter!! I totally get what you're going through. That was my daughter at that age! Covid has really disrupted theatre, but it's improving for sure.