Is This A Real Thing?

[okduke]

A friend recently competed in one of the Disney runs and shared some information with my DW. She indicated that there were people that worked full-time elsewhere that took vacations to go to WDW and work part-time. The implication was that they got some cool benefits like discounts and WDW staff housing for short periods of time. Our friend felt like these people flew in for a week and worked PT at WDW for that week. Is that really possible?

My DW and I are fanatics and are getting ready to be empty nesters. This is a very intriguing idea if it is true. I would appreciate any thoughts, stories, realities, etc. that you might be able to provide.

 

[wilkeliza]

A friend recently competed in one of the Disney runs and shared some information with my DW. She indicated that there were people that worked full-time elsewhere that took vacations to go to WDW and work part-time. The implication was that they got some cool benefits like discounts and WDW staff housing for short periods of time. Our friend felt like these people flew in for a week and worked PT at WDW for that week. Is that really possible?

My DW and I are fanatics and are getting ready to be empty nesters. This is a very intriguing idea if it is true. I would appreciate any thoughts, stories, realities, etc. that you might be able to provide.

Yes it is a real thing but is becoming harder and harder to do. There is no WDW staff housing so not sure where they got that idea. You use to be able to just fly in for a week, rent a hotel room (at your own cost), work and then reap the benefits but it isn't that easy any more. You have to maintain 150 (may be 180 can't remember) hours worked across 12 months checked on a rolling bases each quarter. So that's roughly 37.5 hours a quarter or 1 week every single quarter. IF you lump too many hours in one quarter you have to make up all those hours 12 months later or loose your status. Also more recently they tied your perks to the # of hours worked. So seasonal cast members no longer get guest passes through the main gate system. Instead they earn tickets that work just like main gates but are tied to the number of hours they worked that year. So if you work the bare minimum you only get yourself into the park for free.

On top of all of that they are some of the hardest jobs to get on property. They are usually merchandise jobs (sometimes attractions) and honestly for the amount you pay to go to Disney it really doesn't save much any more. I did it for a year and had a lot of fun but was spending more than I was making and using vacation days from my real job to be able to go have my fun job in Orlando. Also I had worked for the company before I went season so it was easier for me to get that position.

 

[Crystal824]

Yes, it is a real thing or at least it used to be. I did it for a few years. I did the CP twice and afterwards I stayed on as a seasonal employee. I would call my manager and request hours during my school breaks. She would give me hours, and I would fly in and work. They did provide housing for me, but that was probably because I had been a CP. I would be placed into a empty bed in college program housing in an apartment with people I didn't know who were on the college program. I"m not sure if they still do this through as this has been many years ago. At that time, there was no requirement that you work a certain number of hours a year, which they have now. Also, I only got into the parks and received a discount as an employee during the time that I was actually working. I would fly in, go to casting, get a cast id (which would let me into the parks for the time I was actually working- for a week or so). I would expire a day or two after the last day I was working. I stopped doing this once I was finished with school.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Disney makes so much money, why on earth derail such a nice little perk for those who otherwise couldn't afford to go? The ticket prices lost being limited to only those who have the time, money and conviction to do this must be so minuscule compared to park profits. It would be such a good faith gesture to just let it ride

 

[mommajo143]

This is very interesting. When I first saw the thread I immediately thought - no way, must have misunderstood.

 

[PghDisneyDarling]

Seasonal employees are basically being done away with as to hire more College Program kids every semester. Many of the older people that were retired but worked seasonal at Disney that I worked with while on my program are leaving because Disney is slowly taking away their benefits. Like everyone else has said, it's also very, very hard to get a seasonal position, especially if you have not worked for the company before.

I don't believe that they would provide housing to seasonal employees anymore, even if you were a previous CP, mainly because they do not have the space. They struggle to fit all of the CP's in there already, and security has also become much more strict. I just don't see that happening anymore.

It's a nice thought, and something cool they used to do, but it's not worth it for Disney to put the effort into it anymore when they can just get cheap labor renewed every semester with more and more college kids.

 

[aaarcher86]

They don't provide housing, but one of the season CMs I know used to camp in her RV on the campgrounds. With he CM discount it was pretty cheap. She'd make 2 week long reservations for 3ish months.

Definitely not something you could just do a week here and there though.

 

[magic125]

Hello. Am looking for information, please. Have been offered Seasonal Sales H/H CM. Need to respond within 2 days. Son was living in Orlando area for college when I applied with WDW but it wasn't working for him and he has left. His apartment is no longer an option for me! Any suggestions on finding short term housing or thoughts about Seasonal positions? If it is indeed a role that is being phased out, am unsure about accepting. Thank you everyone!

 

[mistysue]

Hello. Am looking for information, please. Have been offered Seasonal Sales H/H CM. Need to respond within 2 days. Son was living in Orlando area for college when I applied with WDW but it wasn't working for him and he has left. His apartment is no longer an option for me! Any suggestions on finding short term housing or thoughts about Seasonal positions? If it is indeed a role that is being phased out, am unsure about accepting. Thank you everyone!

Depending on how long it is each time, might be easy and cheap to get a vacation rental home, or if it's really short you could rent a camper for a campground.

 

[magic125]

Thank you! Those are good suggestions. I appreciate your input!