Who's really done it?!

[DISUNC]

A bit off topic here.

The "If SOMETHING should happen to my DH..." responses are cracking me up!

For as long as I can remember (I am 46) my Mom(late 70's) has been making more plans of what she is going to do once my fathers 'Goes"...She has the grandest of ideas & plans of how much she can accomplish with out him.

Now that they have been married 56 years and both are still alive & kicken...I think she is rather PEEVED that he is still around. She is just waiting and waiting and waiting! I swear she comments on this EVERYDAY! It is a big family joke too!

 

[vellamint]

A bit off topic here.

The "If SOMETHING should happen to my DH..." responses are cracking me up!

For as long as I can remember (I am 46) my Mom(late 70's) has been making more plans of what she is going to do once my fathers 'Goes"...She has the grandest of ideas & plans of how much she can accomplish with out him.

Now that they have been married 56 years and both are still alive & kicken...I think she is rather PEEVED that he is still around. She is just waiting and waiting and waiting! I swear she comments on this EVERYDAY! It is a big family joke too!

TOO FUNNY ...​

 

[TEK224]

Count me in! I always said when I retired from my current job, the only other place I want to work is WDW. My plan is for a part-time position a few months out of the year (when I'm snowbirding). I'll have my DVC accommodations, so won't need to rent anyplace.

It'll be more for the fun aspect than financial.

 

[Robo]

Funny story about driving the monorail, we sat up front one time and my DH asked the driver what kind of training he had to have to dive the monorail. The guy said "5 days".
My husband says "Well surely you must have had some other experience with trains or buses or something" The diver says "No, no previous transportation or professional diving experience"
The guy didn't look a day over 20, so I kinda believe that he really didn't have any previous experience.

Oh, let's go OFF TOPIC for a brief bit of fun.

Let me give you what you need to know about "driving" the monorail.

The T-bar: Push it forward, train goes forward.
Push harder, train goes faster.

Pull it back to center. Train stops.
Pull back harder, train SHUDDERS into reverse (we've all been THERE.)
-------------
The control-system is actually SO SIMPLE that I have a photo of the original imagineer who worked on the new installation of the first Disney monorail at Disneyland.

In the photo, he is sitting on top of just the electric MOTOR (and wheels and tires) that powers the train,
He is actually riding around (just pushing on the T-bar) on the new "tracks" at DL with no "train-body" installed at all.
(The monorail's bodies were designed and built by Disney engineers, the motor-drives & wheels were the only things ordered from the European mfg. co.)
-------------

BUT... back to TODAY and the training that goes on for the monorail drivers...

Here's the TRICKY part...

You have to hit the "Spiel" button for the recorded announcements to play.
(They play IN ORDER, as each monorail runs in a circle (until they take them off-track at night.)

I say "tricky" because many monorail pilots FORGET to hit the spiel button and it plays late or in the wrong spot at every point in the trip!!!

So "driving" the train is apparently not NEARLY as tricky is remembering to hit that darned "spiel" button.
--------------

Note: The above is "all in fun" (mostly) and I know that being responsible for a trainload of happy WDW guests is a serious responsibility. VERY!

But there is a very strict and "wide" built-in "margin of safety".
Such as: An approaching train will come to a full stop on the tracks, hundreds of yards behind the next train that may still be stopped in the next station.

And one really interesting "safety fact" that most guests just don't notice:

The buttons to open the doors are ONLY on the OUTSIDE of the monorail control-cabin.

An operator can ONLY push the buttons to open the doors if s/he is standing on the platform on the side of the train that is safe to allow exiting guests.

(If there is no platform to stand on, that side of the train's doors can't be opened, even by "mistake".)

Lots of safety built into the monorails.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Sorta OT but...

A good friend of mine was a costumed character at the parks for a while and was the original "Clock" in the Beauty & the Beast stage show at MGM. The costume was poorly designed and ended up causing him severe back trouble.

After a spell on workers' comp, Disney re-assigned him to the guest services groups that deals with VIP's children.. and he's been working there for sometime now.

For him - the magic is still there - despite the severe back trouble he experiences to this day because of that costume.

J

 

[reginaastralis]

Well since you all are on the same page as me (retire and go work for the Mouse), I am jumping on the bandwagon. I tell everyone if I win Powerball or the PA lottery. I will be on the next plane out of Pittsburgh so fast and in Central Casting the next morning with resume in hand.

As for my dream job it would be working Haunted Mansion.... but who cares anything to just get me in my happy place....But on the serious side I work as customer service in a call center now so doing something like reservations or dining ADR's would be just as fun. Any ideas about these jobs?

They have a call center located in Tampa, Florida. I'm actually considering applying here and also at the parks, if I decide to make the move to Orlando. My dad is a firefighter at a station across the street from the call center, and he loves it b/c they are always inviting the guys over for the tent sale.

Also, I've been back stage at Disney a few times, and yes, the magic isn't quite there, it's still huge. At least to me any ways. I remember how shocked I was to see all those costumes. Gosh, I'd love to be in chare of all those costumes!

I'm going to apply in a month or so for Disney, so if you all can cross your fingers.

Amanda and Juliette

 

[ToontownPrincess]

Ok well mine isn't a retirement story (because I'm only 21) but I worked at disney for a short while. The only reason I left was because I moved (as you can see in my signature). I loved my job. I worked in Toontown so I got to spend my whole day with smiling children. The job was a reward in itself but you also get great benefits like free admission to the park. Me and my boyfriend were both working at WDW so on our days off we would spend all our time wandering around the parks. Now as I'm going to school I am trying to find a major (still searching) that will one day lead me back to Disney. It is my dream to work there again.

 

[MICKEEP]

I want to drive the buses or better yet maybe one of the boats......Anyone know what the starting salary is for the bus drivers.

 

[minnie61650]

DH and I tell everyone that we are moving to Florida when we retire to work at WDW I want to be the Fairy Godmother

That's the job I always wanted.
I tell everyone my "dream job" is to be the Fairy Godmother in the electrical parade!

 

[deetman]

Mickeep:

I drove Omnibuses in WSC (in the park), and FriendShip Boats on WSC lagoon, and between Epcot, BW, S/D, and Studios. Also had friends that worked MK watercraft and monorails.

When I left in '97, all were entry-level pay jobs (read: Not Much).

If you're talking about the outside buses, between parks etc., they require a CDL, and pay a bit more.

Scott

 

[puggymom]

Saw this today and thought about all of us dreamers, seems Orlando/Kissimmee has some good job potentials.

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom...96839b078e4b82b9e0acdffeca9e3f-200401287-RK-1

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

I know 3 people who work at Disney, One is one of the managers at Animal Kingdom, she had to work her way to the top there. I laughed at a previous poster who said her husband is mid executive so the low paying/custodial/ or entry level jobs wouldn't apply to them, unfortunately it would.
If you have money/retirement set aside? Disney is a great place to work,you can't work there and expect to get paid alot, 8 bucks an hour is tops for the other 2 girls I know who work there at attractions and shops.Both of them are in college. So for them, it's the perfect job.
All agree its a fun and rewarding job, seeing people spend family time together laughing and having a good time. But if you move to FL, expect a more hectic life style with traffic, overcrowded schools, things like that. ( I was born and raised in southern FL so I know firsthand, and moved 10 years ago because it wasn't where I wanted to raise my sons.)
But to retire there and work? I think it would be a great, rewarding choice!
Off topic on the San Antonio boat drivers?
My ex boyfriend did that for 2 years when he was younger, and loved it but the number of drunk people who rode it and caused problems and/or jumped into the river? Got to be too much so he found another line of work. Funny too, because the river in most parts is no deeper than 3-4 feet. So many injuries happened when those people would jump in, ouch!!!

 

[loriandmatt]

Agreeing that working there as a retirement gig for just some extra spending money and bennies is the only way it would be good. (at least for me)

Know several CM's. one was a late 20 something Events Coordinator at the World of Sports complex. monster responsibility and hours and very low pay. He was greatful for the opertunity to gain work experinece, but took it only as that. He moved on to an Events Coodinator postion with an outside firm and is now compensated more appropriately.

one is a nurse and because of her skill set and time of service (around 15 years or so) is comensated pretty well by WDW standards, but not by outside nursing pay scales. it was worth it to her for years because her husband also worked at WDW.

that man was a construction supervisor (very high up in the construction chain) and he was compensated quite well. He was let go however after 9/11 when park attendance and guest accomodation construction took a huge hit. (He still loves the WDW org and believes in the spirit it was founded on and ran by for many years. - and hopefully will be run by again.)

NONE of these folks would recomend relocation to FL under the impression of working for WDW unless you are either:

very young, plan on having room mates, and are just working for the fun/experience of it.

very skilled, hired ahead of time by WDW and you have arrangements for them to relocate you or you know you are going to be compensated quite well.

retired and not in need of any resonable amount of income. just working to have something to do and perhaps gain some extra spending money and bennies.

- lori