Most desirable CM position?

[Doug123]

Thanks WDSearcher, LibertyBelle and Grumpy92. My wife and I have always toyed with the idea of trying to work for Disney. We're both working professionals and fairly well educated (she's a paralegal for a large corporation, and I'm in communications). I've always heard it's very hard to get into Disney, though, and they don't pay very well. Despite that, I'm sure Disney has the "pick of the litter" (as the saying goes).

It's interesting to read about, though.

On a related, but not related, subject: does Disney offer on-site day care for employee's children? Just curious.

 

[Beca]

This is really interesting!!

I have known four people who have worked at WDW.

One character, a "face" mentioned in an above post...she LOVED it!!

One waitress...I cannot remember what restaurant she was. She really liked it, but they were very tough on her. She is absolutely stunning, and takes very good care to look well in LIFE, but has been sent home from work a few times (without pay) because she did not look "up to Disney standards". It must've been a nicer restaurant, because she wore long-sleeved white shirts, and if they were discolored or stained AT ALL, the CM was sent home. But, now that I think about it...it couldn't have been too nice...the last time I spoke with her mom, she said her daughter was trying to get into a "more expensive" restaurant to get better tips.

Then, two more people (a mom and son) who I worked with at "Six Flags Over Texas". He was in lower management in the wardrobe department, she was a seamstress. They decided to make "theme parks" their careers (Mom had already been a seamstress at SFOT for MANY years), and figured there was none better than WDW. So, they picked up and moved....and moved home a couple of months later. The seamstress was "ordered around" too much, and the son "was just placed as a cast member making minimum wage". They, OBVIOUSLY weren't the "Disney" type of employee!! They returned to SFOT, where he was given a management job as soon as one opened up, and she was given a seamstress job. They really liked being the "big fish" in a little pond. I think they failed to realize how big the "pond" was at WDW!!! No wonder Disney does better than SFOT!!!!



Beca

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Doug123 Thanks WDSearcher, LibertyBelle and Grumpy92. My wife and I have always toyed with the idea of trying to work for Disney. We're both working professionals and fairly well educated (she's a paralegal for a large corporation, and I'm in communications). I've always heard it's very hard to get into Disney, though, and they don't pay very well.

Whether or not they pay well is subjective. What one person sees as a pittance, another may see as a great pay rate. It also, obviously, depends on what kind of expenses you have. However, I didn't find it hard to get into Disney, and I'm paid quite well for what I do. So there you go ... for what it's worth.

On a related, but not related, subject: does Disney offer on-site day care for employee's children? Just curious.

There are on-site day care facilities, but it's not free.

 

[ShadowWind]

Originally posted by puffkin
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!

One day when we were there at MK, I overheard some Disney suit types talking about Tinkerbell and her flight. One guy said that she gets paid $500 a night to do that. That she's not a regular CM, but a stuntwoman. The other guy turned around and said, "for $500 a night, I'll dress up as tinkerbell and fly down the wire." Not saying this is true or not, just what I've heard.

 

[shanlynn63]

I think a really cool job would be to count the money that WDW brings everyday....I did it for two summers at a local theme park and loved it....for anyone who works there, how hard is it to get a job in the finance dept??

 

[Beca]

Originally posted by ShadowWind
One day when we were there at MK, I overheard some Disney suit types talking about Tinkerbell and her flight. One guy said that she gets paid $500 a night to do that. That she's not a regular CM, but a stuntwoman. The other guy turned around and said, "for $500 a night, I'll dress up as tinkerbell and fly down the wire." Not saying this is true or not, just what I've heard.

How funny!!! When I was at DL in April, we saw Tink fly, and I would SWEAR to you that "she" was a "he". If not, that was the MOST masculine-looking Tinkerbell I have EVER seen!!!!

I thought maybe it was due to the speed she came down at...thought maybe for insurance reasons, it was cheaper for Disney to get a guy than a girl.

Who knows...it was really weird, though...and funny!! That was a REALLY big tinkerbell!!!!



Beca

 

[ShadowWind]

Actually I've heard that comment at WDW as well.

 

[Flower4Pwr]

I've seen at least one of the tinkerbelles at Disney World and it was most definetly a "she"! But I assume if a guy fit the criteria he could be tinkerbell as well!

 

[doombuggy]

Supposedly, the cost of living in Orlando is less than is some other areas. I live outside of Philly, and am looking to move to Orlando, and transfer my p/t job to WDW (I work p/t for the WDC here in PA). I have two interviews scheduled for when i am down in 2 weeks, but I know I would have to take a pay cut (of sorts), b/c I have read that what I get paid at my f/t job equates to several thousands less (about 5 or 6) in Orlando!

It is my understanding that the hourly rate I receive at my p/t WDC job would stay the same, though.

 

[Cinderella37]

My aunt lives in Daytona Beach and says that the cost of living is definitely lower in Central FL than in Pennsylvania. My cousin builds beautiful (and huge) homes in the Ormond Beach area and they are way lower priced than our real estate in PA. But, the wages are somewhat lower in some industries, like teaching.

A few years ago at Fulton's Crab House, my fiance and I were talking to our waiter who moved to FL to be a teacher. As anyone in the Northeast knows, the educator market remains tight, while other areas, especially in the South, there's a shortage. Our waiter said he worked as a teacher for two years, then quit to be a server at Fulton's. He said he makes twice as much money as a server than as a teacher.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I too have heard that Tinkerbell is the highest paid character in WDW due to having to fly etc....
I heard this from two cast members. I also heard that there are three Tinkerbells.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by ShadowWind
One day when we were there at MK, I overheard some Disney suit types talking about Tinkerbell and her flight. One guy said that she gets paid $500 a night to do that. That she's not a regular CM, but a stuntwoman. The other guy turned around and said, "for $500 a night, I'll dress up as tinkerbell and fly down the wire." Not saying this is true or not, just what I've heard.

It's funny that Is what I had always heard too, but turns out to be rumor as I have a friend that is a replacement Tink (in case one calls in). I can assure you it is not a stuntwoman (or man). It is a regular CM from entertainment that adutioned for the role. There is a weight restriction for Tink (I believe it is 110lbs MAX... might be lower) so chances are it's a girl (if they have any guys they are really small)...

 

[ShadowWind]

Originally posted by LibertyBelle
It's funny that Is what I had always heard too, but turns out to be rumor as I have a friend that is a replacement Tink (in case one calls in). I can assure you it is not a stuntwoman (or man). It is a regular CM from entertainment that adutioned for the role. There is a weight restriction for Tink (I believe it is 110lbs MAX... might be lower) so chances are it's a girl (if they have any guys they are really small)...

Thanks for clearing that up. It's always amazing what rumors you will hear from the CM's, but I guess in 55,000 people, you are bound to get a completely different story in the end, than at the beginning.