What if you were a CM at WDW?

[Goofmeister]

Would the magic be there?

Would you tire of WDW? Would you be soured by corporate politics?

My wife and I have had this discussion. I believe that working for WDW would be a dream come true. She thinks that it would destroy what is special about it.

What do you think?

 

[KathyFP]

I have dreams of being a CM as a retirment job. Doesn't pay enough to live on.

I would love the oppurtunity to keep the magic going.

 

[ugadog99]

Kathy, you sound like me. When I retire from teaching I am heading to Orlando to work for Disney. This is a dream that I intend to make happen. I want to live the magic!

 

[kaabost]

I would agree that being a CM after retirement would be ideal. That way, you could just have fun and not worry about things like savings or other forms of monetary stress. As much as I would love to do it temporarily, I don't think that I would want to be a permanent CM at this time in my life as I am trying to do the whole scientist thing.

On a related topic, I often dream about how wonderful it would be to live in or near Orlando. I could go to Disney whenever I wanted to. But then I think............it might not be the same. Right now when I go to Disney (generally once a year) it is a huge deal. I look forward to going all year, make a big road trip (which adds to the intense anticipation) and go for several days. I am away from my normal home which separates me from my normal reality not only by Disney magic but also by MILEAGE! If I lived nearby, I would probably not pay to stay onsite when I could stay at home for free.

 

[jdads2]

I would think that unless there is an awful lot of therapy and anger management classes there would be many more complaints about CM's...or maybe one in particular, on these boards.

I have seen the way some folks treat CM's. I could never be that considerate towards people who are that rude.

Can you see it? Pooh chasing down some little kid because he kicked him!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

If only I could be a street sweeper in the house of the Mouse....

Like some others, my dream is to retire to Orlando and get a job running a broom and dustpan on Main Street USA. I'd love to follow directions from my superior CMs, make a little magic whenever possible, smile at all the guests, and go home at night and sleep soundly. I'd leave every iota of corporate angst for someone else to wrestle with. If I can talk DW into early retirement I think I could do this in about 26 years

 

[Bill3]

As my wife and I have often discussed working at WDW upon retirement this has been a topic we have broached several times. As a result I have often talked about this to CM's when they appear to be possible retirees. Most people really enjoy it and are glad they went to work at WDW. Most of them were WDW fans before moving to the area.
Does some of the luster wear off? I'm sure. Ask anyone who lives on a lake year round. Its not the same but it's still pretty good. Go for it.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I would have to say it would ruin it for me. I worked at a Disney Store for about 5 months and it was the worst job I ever had. I'll stick to just being a guest.

 

[Grumpy92]

Having been there and done that I can tell you both occurs.

You come in reved up, doused with pixie dust and then you begin to see the daily activities. The wear and tear of guest does take its toll not to mention the company politics. You do need a high customer service tolerance. I really have heard some really good complainers. Also remember that WDW is open 365 days a year and the resorts are 24 hours a day.

Have to say the people I worked with were the nicest and watching them or participating in creating small moments of magic was really great. The best friends of my life I found in my fellow cms.

As for retirees, Disney jumped on that bandwagon a few years ago. Most work part time so the company doesnt have to worry about insurance cost, they dont care about the hourly pay and yet they get the park entrance benefit. Believe me when family finds out you work for Disney relatives come out of the woodwork.
Most of the retired cms live in the surrounding three counties, so there is plenty of recruiting resources for them.
That along with the hundreds of college students they bring in each semester has been an action that really has saved the company some cost.

I have also found once you get out of central Fla people & prospective employers are fascinated with the topic and it did get me several interviews.

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

I'm with jdads2, 5 minutes into it, some joker would plop down in the middle of a row, start being loud and disorderly or knock over some little kids Dole whip and I'd be getting arrested for pitching them in the moat around Cindy's castle.
Not even later in life, I just don't have the patience for those kinds of people.

And about living in Florida, my cousins used to live 15 minutes from WDW (now it's about 25) and haven't had annual passes in years. It's just like us here in Cincy, I'm 10 minutes, if I get caught at a red light, from Kings Island Amusement Park, and the only time we every go is no GE day. The excitement seems to wear off. I'll keep the magic alive for us and stick with my yearly trips.

 

[Pig Pen]

We just sold our house and are planning to move to Florida within the next year.

We have lived in Florida in the past and have friends and family there. DH has talked extensively with WDW employees (including the street sweepers) and they all say it is pretty easy to get a job there, the benefits are great, but the hours can be lousy. No one complained about customers at all.

I am thinking that working at one of the resorts would be perfect. You would be surrounded by Disney magic, but would be far enough away from the parks to retain the "wonder."

I imagine there are tons of jobs that people just don't think about...bus drivers, reservationists, parking attendants, etc. I wonder what are the qualifications for the job of "Tinker Bell?"

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

That's an easy one Pig Pen, you just have to be really bright.

Oh, yeah, and you have to be able to fly.

 

[Born 2 Cruz]

as far as i know tinker bell is a sub contractor because disney does't or won't pay for her or his liability insurance


have you ever seen tink walking main street??????????

 

[gshoemate]

I think it could go either way. I have seen many CM's that truly enjoy what they do. They love interacting with people and love to make the magic happen. Then I have also seen my share that sit and complain about this and that and just don't seem like they enjoy being there. I think it is like any place you would work, just depends on what you make of it. I know I would love to work there. My pick would be AK, which is my favorite park. But I would like to do something behind the scenes.

 

[MouseClubMom]

I'm another "been there done that" former CM like Grumpy92 and I have to agree. I worked for the Mouse for 7+ years and LOVED it BUT it was quite the reality check about corporate politics. I think people expect that WDW would be immune to all that but sadly they are not.

I never lost my pixie dust (still got PLENTY) but I did lose respect for many superiors that expected you to play their games to get promoted. I loved every moment though of being with the guests and boy did I have some MOMENTS with some guests!!! Learning how to deal with irate foreigners who dump ice cream on your shirt or stop in the middle of a row has served me well when working with people out in the real world! As my friend says, I can tell them where to go with a smile on my face and they thank me for it!!!

My best friends in the world are former CMs that I worked with back in the late 1980's and early 1990's and my current bosses are actually former CMs as well. I take my kids several times a year to visit WDW and they love it just like I do. Now if anyone has any tips on getting DH to love it, LET ME KNOW!

Disney on your resume is an almost automatic interview for most jobs. People want to know the "secrets" they think all CMs know about the inner workings of the Mouse.

Once Disney is in your blood you never truly lose it.

MCMom

 

[Jaklackus]

I used to joke that I used to think the bank was a magical place until I started working there....I would be afraid that it would ruin the vacation aspect of Disney..although my SIL seemed to enjoy working there when she did.

 

[Jaklackus]

I used to joke that I used to think the bank was a magical place until I started working there....I would be afraid that it would ruin the vacation aspect of Disney..although my SIL seemed to enjoy working there when she did.

 

[jann1033]

hubby and I have this conversation everytime we go..he's a decorative painter who loves his work and so loves the effects and would love to get in there and do it...gabs anyone's ear off he can ( saw one of their painters once and was in heaven), feels all the walls (a family joke) and is positve he wants to live there in neverland but the reality is... I hate hot/humid weather( Ohio is bad enough + I have an illness that it causes to flare), palmetto bugs and being 20 hrs away from the kids so we always come back home.

myself, I would be the "kick this rude guy in the moat" CM also

 

[drp4video]

My daughter is 16, and wants to work at disney after college- wants to be a film and video major-so then I can retire and work there too! We joke about it, but I think both of us are more serious than we let on.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

Thank God there are other people out there like me!!! My goal in life is to work for WDW when my four daughters are out of college! 15 years to go!!!

I would just love to work on Main St in the MK!! My husband wants to drive a Disney Transp. Bus!!!

I'M NOT KIDDIN', WE ARE DOING IT!!! SEE YOU ALL THERE!!!