The Roles:

[Holly_Golightly]

Definitely subscribing to this thread so I'll always have it for future reference

 

[ashliejere]

Glad it's so helpful to everyone!
I found this detailed look at FSFB and Vacation Planner on a blog that I visited. Since there seems to be a lot of questions about these roles so I thought I'd paste the description here. Enjoy!

Full Service Food and Beverage

Full Service Food and Beverage (FSF&B) is probably one of the most underrated role offerings for both the Disney College and CareerStart Programs. Having worked in this role previously, it’s one that has a great mix of personal freedom, responsibility and its own share of fun moments, given its high guest interaction. Better still, a lot of these roles take place in a highly themed, fast-paced and dynamic environment.

As a FSF&B cast member, your primary responsibilities will revolve around two basic tasks: greeting guests at a restaurant podium, and seeing to it that they be seated as quickly and efficiently as possible. These roles alone are pretty simple, but due to the nature of the business, this role can involve a lot of guest interaction and can require some skill in resolving challenging guest situations. Particularly with busier locations (like Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s and ‘Ohana), a willingness to be flexible and see challenges through to their resolution makes for a great cast member, and at the end of the day, can be quite rewarding. In FSF&B, you may also be called upon to assist in other areas of the restaurant front-of-house operation.

I also found that in FSF&B, if you prove yourself to be a strong, steady cast member, there may be additional responsibilities that you can take on, including FSF&B Assignor (which essentially dictates the ebb and flow of the dining room seatings and coordinates other podium cast) and F&B General Teller. This is a role where you can really make a very big impact to the operation if you want to.

Note that Full Service Food and Beverage is a non-tipped role. You will not be able to work as a server at any point during your program.



Vacation Planner

Vacation Planners are the one-stop-shop for guests before entering the parks. These cast members are the ultimate resource on the multitude of park admission available, and also are able to help day guests plan their visit.

As they’re stationed just outside the theme park gates, their primary responsibility is to help guests select and purchase admission media (tickets) to the various Walt Disney World Resort theme parks and water parks. To go along with this, these cast members should be pretty comfortable cash handling, as they handle a high amount of cash during their shifts. They also assist guests with any questions they may have about the park they’re visiting that day, and can provide tips and their own personal expertise to ensure a great experience for guests.

Many shifts for these roles tend to start earlier in the morning, since many park visitors will enter during the first few hours a park is open. While I would be cautious in making any assumptions, this probably points in the direction of having more of a consistent schedule than not. To go along with this, vacation planners should be very open to the idea of working under pressure while still personifying the heart of the Disney experience- Vacation Planners are often the first cast members day guests interact with. Lines are sometimes long, and Vacation Planners must still take the time to individualize their planning for each guest, while being mindful that there are others waiting in line.

Vacation Planners may occasionally be scheduled for other parks operations tasks, including Parade Audience Control, at certain parks.



link: http://chrissaribay.com/disney-blog/

 

[JuneChickie]

DisneyFirefly *******
One thing anyone considering Vacation Planner needs to be aware of is that you have quotas and will basically be required to upsell tickets. If someone's only staying for five days, you have to try and sell them a ten-day ticket, along with hopper and water park. My old roommate was transferred into it when she extended her program due to an injury she sustained at QFB. She hated it, because they didn't tell her everything and she wouldn't have done it if she knew the lengths they go to to make sales. She also told me that you're basically told NOT to mention the no-expiration option. *** DisneyFirefly ****


I heard the same thing today about the "upsell" experience
when I overheard a castmember explaining the position to another castmember.
Funny to be reading the same thing here.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

One thing anyone considering Vacation Planner needs to be aware of is that you have quotas and will basically be required to upsell tickets. If someone's only staying for five days, you have to try and sell them a ten-day ticket, along with hopper and water park. My old roommate was transferred into it when she extended her program due to an injury she sustained at QFB. She hated it, because they didn't tell her everything and she wouldn't have done it if she knew the lengths they go to to make sales. She also told me that you're basically told NOT to mention the no-expiration option.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Also, I did custodial at MK last summer and housekeeping at the Boardwalk (that was a few years ago, though). If anyone has any questions about what I feel is the best role in the world (custodial), please feel free to PM me.

 

[ZoeDisney]

You got anything on Food Cart Cashier? I'm just wondering if they sell things like stuffed animals too.

 

[Pecobill]

You got anything on Food Cart Cashier? I'm just wondering if they sell things like stuffed animals too.

That would be under Merchandise.

 

[glendalais]

You got anything on Food Cart Cashier? I'm just wondering if they sell things like stuffed animals too.

That would be under Merchandise.

Actually, it differs by resort. Since the PP has applied to DLR, as evidenced in other posts, as opposed to WDW, let me just mention the two.

At the Disneyland Resort in California, Outdoor Vending/Ventures, a Department within the Food & Beverage Line of Business, handles the selling of all Products from Outdoor Locations, both Food & Beverage (Ice Cream, Lemonade, etc.) as well as Merchandise products (Squeezebreeze Mister Fans, Night Glow Items, etc.).

Cast Members statused to this area, including Disneyland Resort College Program Participants in the "Food Cart Cashier" position are statused to Disneyland Resort Park Food & Beverage, and are paid the applicable SEIU/Workers United Local 50 rate for their position.

At the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, responsibility for selling outdoor products is divided depending on what is being sold.

Edible items are sold by Outdoor Foods, a Department within the Food & Beverage Line of Business. Cast Members within this Department are statused to Walt Disney World Resort Food & Beverage, and are paid the appropriate STCU/C&IP Food Service QSR H/H rate.

Merchandise items are sold by Merchandise Operations, as part of their Outdoor Merchandise/Glow Merchandise locations. Cast Members in these positions are statused to Walt Disney World Resort Merchandise Operations, and are paid the appropriate STCU/C&IP Sales H/H rate.

 

[beepbeepimajeep]

Custodial
I worked at Epcot in the World Showcase as Custodial and really, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds. A huge part of your job will be walking around your assigned area in the park and talking to guests. You're on your own with no managers or coordinators breathing down your neck, you know your park both onstage and offstage better than anyone else, you can go on break whenever you want once you learn which breakrooms to use, and it's definitely the easiest job I've ever had. It was funny to see that at the beginning of my program people were sympathetic when I told them I was custodial, but by the end of it I had several of the CPs in more glamorous roles like attractions and merchandise tell me they wish they were custodial because it's so laid back. As long as you don't let your trash cans overflow it really is a great job. I could easily do this job drunk.

 

[Lyanne and Stitch]

I think this thread deserves a bump since apps for Fall 2010 are up. Also if other CP alumni can describe some other roles, like Photopass Photographer that would be great.

 

[ltwentyone]

Reading about Custodial was good. I am curious to know more about it. I wasn't interested in it, but maybe during my phone interview I can ask to add it to my list. I keep hearing it is not as bad as it sounds.

 

[Joanna71985]

Reading about Custodial was good. I am curious to know more about it. I wasn't interested in it, but maybe during my phone interview I can ask to add it to my list. I keep hearing it is not as bad as it sounds.

Nope. It really isn't that bad. The freedom and guest interaction is awsome