Working at Disney World questions

[ArielinWonderland]

I did my first CP in Disneyland, where everything was nice and small and close. There was one main cast costuming, one main cast parking lot (exceptions for costuming and parking only for a few locations), etc. How does it work in Disney World? If you go to costuming before your shift, how does it work? Is there a costuming for each park? What kind of dining options are there for CMs who are working?

Basically, just tell me what your work experience was like! There are a lot of questions regarding housing, but I'm curious about getting to work/working.

Thanks!!

 

[leeg229]

I did my first CP in Disneyland, where everything was nice and small and close. There was one main cast costuming, one main cast parking lot (exceptions for costuming and parking only for a few locations), etc. How does it work in Disney World? If you go to costuming before your shift, how does it work? Is there a costuming for each park? What kind of dining options are there for CMs who are working?

Basically, just tell me what your work experience was like! There are a lot of questions regarding housing, but I'm curious about getting to work/working.

Thanks!!

Ok, first costuming. I'm not sure how costuming works for those working at the resorts. For the parks each park has it's own dedicated costuming building. You grab your stuff off of the racks and you scan your ID and then costume then hit done on the screen. There are locker rooms where you can change (at least at studios) into/out of your costume. To return your costume you open the chute wave the costume near the sensor in the chute so that it shows up on the screen and drop it down the chute. You can keep up to 5 costumes at your apartment. Your trainer will go over all of this with you on your first day.

Parking: All parks have a designated lot or area for CMs. If you have to go through the main toll booths(?) where people normally pay to park just flash your ID and they'll wave you through.

The Dining options for CMs at MK and Studios are pretty limited. For me it was Subway all day every day until I got smart and started bringing my own lunches in. Every park should have it's own main "cafeteria" I guess you could call it as well as several smaller break areas. Some of the main food options include Subway, fast food options like hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken strips, fries, pizza, and onion rings. There are assorted cold sandwiches, salads, and pre-packaged sushi. That's really about it. The prices aren't too much better than what is offered on stage. People tend to sit with other people in the same costume which I found amusing, but I don't blame them for sitting with the people they worked with.

Getting to work and working in general: I only worked in Studios and MK during my program and I had to park in CM parking once at Epcot. Getting to Ecpot CM parking was a little confusing while driving because the entrance was on a road I didn't take too often. MK was very straight forward. You kept right after passing the parking booth thing and followed the road to the end. The thing with MK though, you need to take the VIP bus from parking (west clock) to the entrance of the utilidors which can add ~20mins to your travel time. Studios CM parking is actually part of the guest parking lot closest to costuming. I'm not sure about AK because I never had a reason to use their CM lot before. If you're driving to work, I'd leave 45mins early. If you're taking the bus I'd leave 1hr15-1hr30 early. The buses can be highly unpredictable.

Working was really just like any other retail job for me, besides the fact that I was IN WALT DISNEY WORLD! Training sucked because it was a lot of computer based learning then working in the morning with the "more experienced" CMs. After I took off my earning my ears tag I started to get all night shifts. My managers were all really relaxed and chill, but there is always that one. I had a lot of freedom to interact with guests, pin trade, and just chit chat in general. We were encouraged to stand away from the registers when not ringing up guests. We had a lot of leeway in making little magical moments happen like surprising guests with a small lollipop or giving away a pin from our lanyard. I once found two unexpired toy story fastpasses on the ground and gave them away to a honeymooning couple an hour later. Honestly, it's probably not that different from Disneyland. The only thing is, you need to know general stuff about the other parks like what park Expedition Everest is in or Space Mountain. You'll have a tell-a-cast on you so that's a big help with park hours/emergency numbers.

I'm not too sure I answered everything you wanted to know but at least this is a starting point.

 

[sephorachick]

I did my first CP in Disneyland, where everything was nice and small and close. There was one main cast costuming, one main cast parking lot (exceptions for costuming and parking only for a few locations), etc. How does it work in Disney World? If you go to costuming before your shift, how does it work? Is there a costuming for each park? What kind of dining options are there for CMs who are working?

Basically, just tell me what your work experience was like! There are a lot of questions regarding housing, but I'm curious about getting to work/working.

Thanks!!

I did 2 CP's at WDW in 2 different areas. My first time I worked @ All Star Music. Down the street from the hotel was the costuming building where we could pick up a few costumes at a time & get them signed out. When I worked at MK we would go down in utilidors to a certain window for your "Land" & you give them your cast ID & you are linked to the bar codes to the costumes you sign out. I could only get 1 costume at a time in MK & was never allowed to bring it home like I was at All star Music. It just depends on your location & role I guess. It is all very easy & they will explain it all to you on your first day.

When I worked at ASM we had an employee breakroom & aramark kitchen behind the scenes for all the cast members. YOu tell them what you want & they make it. Or u can bring your food too. You'll get a locker assigned to you @ most locations. When I worked at MK it was a long walk from Fantasyland to Break room so I brought my lunch a lot & ate in breakroom in Fantasyland. THe aramark cafeterias are pricey as well. It just depends on what you are looking for really.

Happy to help

Kate

 

[Cais]

I did 2 CP's at WDW in 2 different areas. My first time I worked @ All Star Music. Down the street from the hotel was the costuming building where we could pick up a few costumes at a time & get them signed out. When I worked at MK we would go down in utilidors to a certain window for your "Land" & you give them your cast ID & you are linked to the bar codes to the costumes you sign out. I could only get 1 costume at a time in MK & was never allowed to bring it home like I was at All star Music. It just depends on your location & role I guess. It is all very easy & they will explain it all to you on your first day.

When I worked at ASM we had an employee breakroom & aramark kitchen behind the scenes for all the cast members. YOu tell them what you want & they make it. Or u can bring your food too. You'll get a locker assigned to you @ most locations. When I worked at MK it was a long walk from Fantasyland to Break room so I brought my lunch a lot & ate in breakroom in Fantasyland. THe aramark cafeterias are pricey as well. It just depends on what you are looking for really.

Happy to help

Kate

Costuming hasn't been in the utilidors for a few years now

Also Aramark is leaving soon. Woo.

 

[sephorachick]

Costuming hasn't been in the utilidors for a few years now

Also Aramark is leaving soon. Woo.

HAH oh really wow! You make me feel old

 

[jtsagaratos]

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[eadavis]

what was it like working at the all star resorts? I'm going to be a lifeguard there this May

The All-Star is an Animal. It is the largest resort on property, broken into three smaller resorts. At the All-Star, you will primarily be dealing with groups (Latin American, Pop Warner Football, High School Cheerleading, Band groups) in addition to families. During these busy times, you will have a lot of support from your managers and coordinators. Also, the majority of the lifeguards at the All-Star will be fellow CP's.

As far as transportation goes, one bus stops at the Cast Service Building, and at the Front Desk of each of the three resorts.

 

[Hollsey]

what was it like working at the all star resorts? I'm going to be a lifeguard there this May

In addition to what was mentioned, the lifeguards at the All Stars do a little dance party of sorts around 4 everyday when it comes time to change the guards (there was a more formal word for it). You could work at any of the three "hotels" (or themes) as a lifeguard, with I believe Music being kind of the "headquarters" of sorts, as everyone clocks in/out there if they're a lifeguard.

In my experience of talking to the CPs who were deployed from some of the Deluxe resorts (we had them from Wilderness Lodge, the Polynesian, and the Grand Floridian), the Guests at the All Stars are a lot more laid-back, which the deployed CPs liked a lot.

I really liked it! You get a lot of families and kids who are on their first trips, so the Guests are a lot of fun to talk to. The busses are hardly ever busy, too.

 

[sephorachick]

what was it like working at the all star resorts? I'm going to be a lifeguard there this May

My friend was a lifeguard at Blizzard Beach & used to pick up extra hours & All star lifeguard for extra hours.

I worked at ASM & enjoyed it. Great fun people but my costume was horrible LOL It is mostly cheerleaders & bands who I dealt with. The busier it is the faster the day goes. I think I only had to work over time once or twice but I was submitted fort quite a few awards : ) You will have so much fun

 

[ArielinWonderland]

Thanks!!

Another question... do CPs come in with any seniority?
In Disneyland, we came in with 3 years of scheduling seniority as CRs. So we didn't trump any full-time cast members, but we did have seniority over other CRs who had been there for less than 3 years (which was most, because most people are full-time by that point).

 

[Wishes Count]

Thanks!!

Another question... do CPs come in with any seniority?
In Disneyland, we came in with 3 years of scheduling seniority as CRs. So we didn't trump any full-time cast members, but we did have seniority over other CRs who had been there for less than 3 years (which was most, because most people are full-time by that point).

Nope you are the bottom of the ladder. You'll get the schedules full timers don't want, usually late/closing shifts and be on the bottom of the list for days you request off. That being said you are guaranteed at least 32 hours so you are slightly above Seasonal CMs in that regard.

 

[caseyyy]

Do you know how early you need to request off for days?

 

[Cais]

Do you know how early you need to request off for days?

Ideally, yesterday.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[caseyyy]

Ideally, yesterday. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I need to ask for days in May yesterday?

 

[eadavis]

I need to ask for days in May yesterday?

I believe that was sarcasm my dear.

When it comes to requesting days off, the earlier the better. You won't be able to request days off until you arrive and get set up on the HUB. Remember that it is a request, CP's are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to scheduling and it is difficult to get days off during the busy seasons.