I've been going to WDW for over 10 years now...and I love the fact that I see many of the same CMs in the same restaurants year after year. They must make decent money to do that.
That's funny. When US first opened it was absolutely forbidden to work both places. I was a Disney CM but needed more hours so I got a part time job at US. I was very honest and upfront on my application and in the interview with HR that I was still a Disney full time CM and was looking for supplemental income. For whatever reason US hired me to work in the Ops Admin office where they do all of their budgets and attendance figures (highly sensitive and confidential information that the 2 theme parks would NEVER share with each other or the public). I never shared any information I saw at US with anyone else but after about 2 months on the job I was fired from US because they suddenly realized I was still a Disney CM and accused me of being a spy.
The only thing better about working at Universal than Disney was that they had Pepsi in the employee cafeteria instead of Coke.
That's funny. When US first opened it was absolutely forbidden to work both places. I was a Disney CM but needed more hours so I got a part time job at US. I was very honest and upfront on my application and in the interview with HR that I was still a Disney full time CM and was looking for supplemental income. For whatever reason US hired me to work in the Ops Admin office where they do all of their budgets and attendance figures (highly sensitive and confidential information that the 2 theme parks would NEVER share with each other or the public). I never shared any information I saw at US with anyone else but after about 2 months on the job I was fired from US because they suddenly realized I was still a Disney CM and accused me of being a spy.
The only thing better about working at Universal than Disney was that they had Pepsi in the employee cafeteria instead of Coke.
WDSearcher said:I've been at Disney for nearly 25 years. I came in out of grad school and started at a level far below my experience because there wasn't anything at my level available. I would not trade those years for anything, because they allowed me to learn the company from inside-out, bottom to top. I wasn't rushing to get promoted or move up, so I got to really choose what my next jobs were going to be.
I started several clicks above minimum wage ... mostly because I started in a "skilled" as opposed to "unskilled" position. Entry level foods, custodial and merch jobs will pay you at Disney pretty much what they pay anywhere. Unskilled labor is unskilled labor. But someone flipping burgers at Disney gets some benefits that someone flipping burgers at Burger King doesn't get, which is part of what makes it worth it. Still ... if money is your main motivator, Disney probably isn't your best choice as an entry-level job. There's more competition to move up, not as many slots as you might think. You'll move farther, faster in a lot of other companies.
The thing that kept me here, though, was the general atmosphere of the place. Yes ... it was political, frustrating, occasionally nasty. But also fun and silly and sometimes a breeze. Long hours, rain, heat, rude guests, rude CMs, repetitive work, dead tired at the end of the day. But come on ... where else can I work where I can walk the MK before rope drop. When the park is clean and quiet and magical ... before anyone has come in to break the spell? Where else can I walk World Showcase after the park closes but before Maintenance gets there, listening to the music and seeing the pavilions and landscaping all lit up and peaceful? Where else can I stand in the lobby of a resort and watch giraffes on my lunch hour? Or swing by to ride TOT on my way home? Or see a little kid meet Mickey Mouse for the first time?
I've had other jobs that I've loved -- and I certainly haven't loved every single day of my time at WDW. But in all my years of looking, I haven't found any other place that I like better. It's not for everyone. And people do have rotten experiences here, just like in any other company. But for some of us, it's just as magical behind the curtain as it is in front of it.
The thing that kept me here, though, was the general atmosphere of the place. Yes ... it was political, frustrating, occasionally nasty. But also fun and silly and sometimes a breeze. Long hours, rain, heat, rude guests, rude CMs, repetitive work, dead tired at the end of the day. But come on ... where else can I work where I can walk the MK before rope drop. When the park is clean and quiet and magical ... before anyone has come in to break the spell? Where else can I walk World Showcase after the park closes but before Maintenance gets there, listening to the music and seeing the pavilions and landscaping all lit up and peaceful? Where else can I stand in the lobby of a resort and watch giraffes on my lunch hour? Or swing by to ride TOT on my way home? Or see a little kid meet Mickey Mouse for the first time?
I've had other jobs that I've loved -- and I certainly haven't loved every single day of my time at WDW. But in all my years of looking, I haven't found any other place that I like better. It's not for everyone. And people do have rotten experiences here, just like in any other company. But for some of us, it's just as magical behind the curtain as it is in front of it.
So true! I worked in two other companies before Disney and I tell you I didn't love my time with them as I have loved my time with the mouse. Well I hated working there so it's not really a comparison.
I've been at Disney for nearly 25 years. I came in out of grad school and started at a level far below my experience because there wasn't anything at my level available. I would not trade those years for anything, because they allowed me to learn the company from inside-out, bottom to top. I wasn't rushing to get promoted or move up, so I got to really choose what my next jobs were going to be.
I started several clicks above minimum wage ... mostly because I started in a "skilled" as opposed to "unskilled" position. Entry level foods, custodial and merch jobs will pay you at Disney pretty much what they pay anywhere. Unskilled labor is unskilled labor. But someone flipping burgers at Disney gets some benefits that someone flipping burgers at Burger King doesn't get, which is part of what makes it worth it. Still ... if money is your main motivator, Disney probably isn't your best choice as an entry-level job. There's more competition to move up, not as many slots as you might think. You'll move farther, faster in a lot of other companies.
The thing that kept me here, though, was the general atmosphere of the place. Yes ... it was political, frustrating, occasionally nasty. But also fun and silly and sometimes a breeze. Long hours, rain, heat, rude guests, rude CMs, repetitive work, dead tired at the end of the day. But come on ... where else can I work where I can walk the MK before rope drop. When the park is clean and quiet and magical ... before anyone has come in to break the spell? Where else can I walk World Showcase after the park closes but before Maintenance gets there, listening to the music and seeing the pavilions and landscaping all lit up and peaceful? Where else can I stand in the lobby of a resort and watch giraffes on my lunch hour? Or swing by to ride TOT on my way home? Or see a little kid meet Mickey Mouse for the first time?
I've had other jobs that I've loved -- and I certainly haven't loved every single day of my time at WDW. But in all my years of looking, I haven't found any other place that I like better. It's not for everyone. And people do have rotten experiences here, just like in any other company. But for some of us, it's just as magical behind the curtain as it is in front of it.
. And yes it will always be a bright spot on the resume. I think employers are actually intrigued when they see that you interned at Disney. It's a world class organization. My son liked working for Disney even though conditions weren't great. 
