Most desirable CM position?

[AMaloy314]

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this.

What is the hierarchy in the CM positions? I would assume that cleaning bathrooms is much less popular than, say, running the talking trash can. I just wondered how the jobs stacked up among the cast members. For instance, is being Mickey really great or do they feel like they got stuck with that hot costume?

Just curious as to what others think.

 

[Grumpy92]

Not really any hierarchy with regard to position titles. Now once you get into your area your schedule and alot of other things is decided based on your senority date. The less senority the worse the schedule.
Every position has it challenges. I know that getting into gst relations at the park is pretty compettitive as is cm instructors for the Traditions training.
At the Studios if you want to do attractions they usually audition you and depending on your acting abilities that will decide your location. A friend of mine was evidently pretty good so they put her in GMR.
Characters- Can be fun, they are very hot no matter what time of year and some guest do get fresh or try to insight you.

I think there is more of a park cm vs a resort cm thing. In some ways they are vastly different environments.

 

[goofy4tink]

It is my understanding that one of the most coveted spots is the Fairy Godmother. At least that's what I've been told. Now, me....it would be one of the villianesses.

 

[pilotmono]

Those who have worked there claim driving the steam train is the best job. It is said Space Mt. tower is also highly desired. Jungle Cruise is fun with all the Guest interaction. I agree with everything Grumpy92 said. Historically there is not much social crossover between Entertainment (characters and other performers) and Attractions/Foods/Merchandise. Those who work Monorails and Watercraft enjoy their jobs. Watercraft has the highest average seniority and lowest turnover.

 

[Beca]

I have a friend who just returned from WDW working her stint as one of the villians. She LOVED it!! She said working in characters as a "face" (where your face is exposed i.e. princesses, Peter Pan, a Prince, etc) is better than a costume character because you are not so hot, and your personality gets to come into play as you "become" the character. Even though she auditioned to be a character and was "cast", she had to re-audition for the "face" position when she got to the parks.



Beca

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by pilotmono
Those who have worked there claim driving the steam train is the best job.

You want to talk Low turn over... there it is... You hit that one on the head Pilotmono... I work on the train and that is absolutley true. The weekday morning engineers have been there a LONG time... We actually have 2 that opened the Steam Trains in 1971 and 2 others that just celebrated 25 years... Definetly one of the most desierable positions...
The old rule of thumb was "to become an engineer someone had to die or retire because no one gives up their seat"... still kinda true, but there has been some retierments recently so you will see some of the younger guys up there now... I have 9 years with WDW and I still can't get an AM shift on the train

 

[detroitdad]

I was always under the impression that one of the more male coveted positions was as a lifeguard at the bottom of Summit Plummit in Blizzard Beach! lol

 

[Aisling]

I've read that Tinker Bell is the most highly paid CM at WDW.

 

[moinab]

Characters- Can be fun, they are very hot no matter what time of year and some guest do get fresh or try to insight you.

The last time we were at DS, we saw a woman punch one of the green army men (not hard enough to inflict damage, but definitely out of line). We couldn't believe it. She started laughing, but the people with her yelled at her for being an idiot.

 

[puffkin]

According to our tour guide for the Keys to the Kingdom tour last July, it was very hard to get into Guest Services at the Magic Kingdom. She said it was also hard to be a tour guide, especially the VIP Guides. She worked at WDW for over 15 years before she could get a job as a tour guide.

Also, as for Tinkerbell being the highest paid, that isn't true. According to our guide, there are currently 3 girls who "take the flight". They don't even have to work as face characters. Whenever they are scheduled to fly, they get an extra $2 per hour for the shift, even if their flight is cancelled due to weather or something like that. The highest paid characters are the princesses. However, to top the pay scale, the princess must do a character breakfast, perform in a show, and do a parade. Apparently there is a base rate for the characters (roughly $6.75, a little more for the face characters) and then they get extra added on for the activities they do. This was all very interesting and I learned a lot!

 

[krissy3483]

Originally posted by detroitdad
I was always under the impression that one of the more male coveted positions was as a lifeguard at the bottom of Summit Plummit in Blizzard Beach! lol

LMAO

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Aisling
I've read that Tinker Bell is the most highly paid CM at WDW.

I'm sure Tinker Bell would love it if she were! While she is pretty well paid, particularly when you consider the pay rates of the other Characters, she is by no means the most highly paid CM at WDW. In fact, she's not even in the top 50. Most highly paid Character? Maybe.

 

[Doug123]

A related question: for those in the know, would you characterize most of the CM staff as college-aged students, retirees or those making the "second income" in a two-income family? From all I've heard, it would be difficult to work as a CM and support a family. True or not?

 

[heart4dis]

Of being a street sweeper in MK

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I think that it's really personal preferance on what you'd want as the "most desirable" CM position...there are literally thousands of different roles.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Doug123
A related question: for those in the know, would you characterize most of the CM staff as college-aged students, retirees or those making the "second income" in a two-income family? From all I've heard, it would be difficult to work as a CM and support a family. True or not?

There are 55,000 CMs at WDW, and I would wager that of those working full time, the vast majority are able to work as a CM and support a family. Every large company has low wage jobs that balance out the higher wage earners, and Disney is no different. I don't know that I'd try to put the kids through college on character pay, but people do it. Just depends on where money management is on your priority list.

As for the break-down ... I would say that the majority of WDW CMs are full-time workers, salaried or hourly, getting benefits and working at WDW as their primary job. Just regular old employees like you'd see anywhere. 30-, 40-, and 50-somethings who are either making Disney their career or using it as a stepping stone to other professional jobs. A smaller section is the retirees and "2nd job" people, with college-aged kids probably taking up the same amount of jobs as the retirees. The difference in the college-age and retirees percentage is that you'll see more of those folks in the parks as line cast -- the people in Merchandise, Foods and Ride Ops who are actually in heavy guest contact. So it probably seems like there are more college and retirement age people because they're the ones in the parks.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by WDSearcher
. Just depends on where money management is on your priority list.

Exactlly. We are a 2 Disney family. Hubby and I both work at MK and we do pretty well for ourselves. I mean I can't run out and buy a Mansion, but we have a new house and new cars... We vacation quite regularly (as you can see from my signature ). The pay is not that of a surgeon, but when you set your priorities it is not that hard to save money and be able to live off of what you have. We just set up a college fund for my nephew... Won't get him through ALL of college but by the time his first year roles around it will be paid for.

 

[Laz]

Originally posted by detroitdad
I was always under the impression that one of the more male coveted positions was as a lifeguard at the bottom of Summit Plummit in Blizzard Beach! lol

I did talk to a male lifegaurd who said that is his favorite spot He said he is very good at chasing and returning lost female swim tops

 

[Grumpy92]

When it comes to wages there are two groups, Line which is the cast you see in costumes and them Managers & Administration.

Line is generally hourly employees, they usually get raises yearly such as a quarter or dime. When you start in these positions you will start at the bottom of the scale near min. wage and as the years pass you gain pay, but ultimately top out. I know alot of singles who work there and have to have roommates to make it. Yet there are couples who seem to make it as well. For a few years Disney pushed to hire many retirees for PT positions.

You will find a mix of backgrounds. There are a lot of oldtimers who have worked there since they were in HS and then you have a lot of college educated cms as well. I know bus drivers who have doctorates, Gst services & Front desk cms with BA & Masters. Did a study a few years ago and really shocked some with how well educated their cms are. Hospitality tends to have a high turnover rate and Disney is no different.

 

[Minky]

See now I would think the restaraunts is where you would want to be....I am a waiter in NJ and can make 150-200 a nite. Sometimes even more. I would think in Disney where you have all these large groups of people coming out to eat and the food is NOT cheap those checks have to be HUGE. Plus you get to meet people from all over the world and have fun and entertain them. I was thinking about working in a Disney restaraunt when I move to Florida.