will working at the Disney Store "get your foot in the door" so to speak?

[Tinkerbella001]

I have an advanced degree and am working full time as a professional. I visited TDS last week and some strange circumstances led me to apply. I have an interview next week, but feel like I must be totally crazy!

I love working with the public, and feel like I will enjoy it there. I will get to talk "Disney" all the time around others who love it as much as I do. Also there seem to be a few perks. But I got to wondering if I took this PT position, if I might have the opportunity to advance in the Disney company. I would like to relocate to Florida at some point either way.

Does anyone know? Have friends/family who have done this? Any random thoughts? TIA!

 

[klj27]

Yes, I have a few friends who have done it. I am not sure that it works in the way you are hoping though. The ones who worked part time at the store (and part time but full availability) now have retail jobs in WDW. They are doing the same thing in a different place. The two who have careers at WDW went through the college program, internships and stayed on.

 

[SandrA9810]

You will be able to build your career up in the store, and you may take a comparable job at Disney down the line. However, you will still go through the hiring process to work at WDW. The only thing that will carry over is your seniority with the company, which can play a major part in certain things.

However, going from a non union position to a union position will disqualify you from some seniority based things until you've been in the union position for more than a year.

I don't know about it getting your foot in the door, but you will be more accustomed to Disney standards. A friend of mine came to WDW after The Children's Place bought over TDS, and he didn't want to leave Disney. While he has five years with the "Company" as a whole, his time at TDS doesn't play into some things.

Even for a CM at WDW, you can't just transfer to DL because you feel like it. You have to be hired at DL first, then certain things on your record will transfer with you.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I thought Disney Stores are not Disney owned anymore?

 

[disney1990]

Disney took over the Disney Stores several years ago.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Really? I thought the Childrens place still had them? I know they took them over in 2004 but didn't know Disney took them back

 

[SandrA9810]

Disney took them back a couple years ago, as they started going down the drain. Many people were unhappy with the sale of the store. Although there have been talks of new stores opening, but with an entirely different theme to them. They've also closed down the NYC World of Disney store.

 

[Mimi1965]

I simply cant imagine quitting a professional job with benefits and insurance-to be a Mall Clerk-which is really all working at the Disney store is.

Your youngest is 7-you'd really move to Orlando to work another low paying job-WDW?

 

[Luvchefmic]

Disney took them back a couple years ago, as they started going down the drain. Many people were unhappy with the sale of the store. Although there have been talks of new stores opening, but with an entirely different theme to them. They've also closed down the NYC World of Disney store.

Learn something everyday..I knew about NYC though...but Sandra back to the OPs question...with the hiring/jobs situation do you think OP would have a foot in the door? I don't think so because hiring seems to have come to a screeching holt..unless college intern or management like IT professional role from my experience. Even being a former CM (me not as recent as you) there seems to be no foot in anymore and when I left I left in wonderful standing I miss the old days where you just walked into the casting center and there was 2 lines Returning Castmembers and Future Castmembers,,Remember?

 

[lustergirl]

I worked at our local disney store during the xmas season (it is closed now), what a nightmare and definitely wasnt feeling the disney vibe there. OSHA could of come in and shut the place down with their crammed storage room with things stacked to the ceiling and the supervisors expected you to not only climb up there with a ladder (understandably so) but also reach way out of your comfort zone to get something down. This job didnt last too long for me

 

[disneyfans95]

I simply cant imagine quitting a professional job with benefits and insurance-to be a Mall Clerk-which is really all working at the Disney store is.

Your youngest is 7-you'd really move to Orlando to work another low paying job-WDW?

Right on the money with this..

 

[hopemax]

I'm not sure how it works now, but my Mom did transfer from the Disney Stores to WDW. She was an Asst Manager, and when Disney sold the Disney Stores she started working on transferring. My Dad and my Mom already decided that they would retire to FL anyway, and the sale was the impetus. But prior to this, while we were there on vacation, my Mom did go to Casting and interview, so she already had a file. My Mom got a good contact at Casting, when they went "full steam ahead," and when a FT merchandise position opened up, she accepted it, and 2 weeks later, she and my Dad drove to FL, to find her an apartment. This was 2005, so prior to the bad economy, when Disney was still desperate for people.

But I don't know if her having already been a manager helped. And she didn't get a management position, she is just a regular hourly CM. So for her to go from management to hourly, it was quite a pay cut. She was willing to do that because it is more of a "retirement" job. She did have 3+ years at Disney, and since she was FT, she kept a lot of her same benefits (medical, higher level of discounts, but not the Silver Pass).

 

[Tinkerbella001]

Thanks for all your replies! Mimi and disneyfans~ your responses are why I posted this question. No, I would not quit my job and move for a retail job. But I was wondering if I worked PT on weekends and kept my job, if I might be able to get into a "real" job with WDW any easier? Also, my dh owns his own business and takes care of the bills and then some. My salary is just extra. The children would not starve if I did make a downward move. And dh could run his business from anywhere...that said I do not want to work retail my whole life. Just curiosity I guess...

 

[Micca]

Tinkerbella I understand your passion and your line of thinking. Though I've never worked retail, I suspect a job at TDS is a lot more about folding clothes, dusting displays, and placating PO'd customers about one thing or another than it is "talking Disney". Far be it from me to discourage anyone from pursuing their Disney dream, but my gut tells me a TDS clerk job is not the best way to do it when you have qualifications beyond that. Good luck.

 

[Tinkerbella001]

Thanks Micca! Yes, it is a passion of mine! I have always dreamed of working for Disney. I have friends who did the college program and loved it. The girls working in the store the day I was there were so friendly and happy. We talked about my recent trip and she said that was her favorite part was selling park tickets and helping customers plan their vacation. My mother was with me and asked if I was"ready yet" as we had talked awhile. I said I was just feeding my Disney addiction, and she said I should think about working there. All Disney, all the time. She also has a pretty fabulous "real" job and is a part-timer at TDS.

Then I was at a museum later that day, and an employee noticed my Dooney & Burke Disney purse. She said "ohhhhhh, there's my old boss"~ referring to Mickey. Told me she worked at TDS for 18 years and it was the best job she ever had. Then randomly said "you should work there, you'd LOVE it!" She had no idea about my earlier encounter or what was going on in my head. It just struck me as too coincidental, so my wheels are spinning about where it might lead.

 

[SandrA9810]

Learn something everyday..I knew about NYC though...but Sandra back to the OPs question...with the hiring/jobs situation do you think OP would have a foot in the door? I don't think so because hiring seems to have come to a screeching holt..unless college intern or management like IT professional role from my experience. Even being a former CM (me not as recent as you) there seems to be no foot in anymore and when I left I left in wonderful standing I miss the old days where you just walked into the casting center and there was 2 lines Returning Castmembers and Future Castmembers,,Remember?

When I walked into casting, there were still two lines. Appointments and Walk-ins. I think current cast members looking for Role change got to go into the appointments line.
The first time I went, I went to a job fair there. But I was absolutely clueless on what I wanted and the interview flopped. I did talk to a couple photographers, but didn't know too much about it or that I wanted to do it.
A few days later after talking to a photographer at the Studios, I knew that's what I wanted. He gave me the direct phone number to the lady that did the hiring for photopass. Walked in, got my interview on the spot... then I had to wait a dreaded week for my second interview with pictures. That's when they said "you're hired".

It used to be such an easy easy process. Now you can't even call for an appointment, there's no lines in the hallway. And probably the only reason why they do the application online now is because they can't stop accepting them, but they don't want to pay people to be at the casting building. Even their "job fairs" are online now.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I can say that working at a disney store is all [art time, unless you are management, it makes sense for most of use, because most people who work in a Disney store ..this is there second job. You give your availability to them and then they schedule from there. So a career on that alone is just not enough to live on. but great as a second job.

 

[Luvchefmic]

That's what I'm saying Sandra..its not the same anymore..no walk-ins at all; doesn't even matter if you know someone directly...its a whole different world now (pun intended)