Disney World

What it’s Really Like Working for Disney World

                        By: Kayli Christ

Disney is much more magical, and full of pixie dust than most believe, especially for the cast members. 

Disney has been making magic for families for almost 100 years through  movies, parks, and even the television. But what some people do not realize is that, Disney does not just make magic for the people that visit on vacation, but it also makes magic for the people that work in Disney as well. 

There are two women that have worked for the mouse, and are going back to work for the mouse in just a short amount of time. Danielle and Carly, have both worked for the Walt Disney corporation at different times. Both the girls have worked for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. 

Carly Chomen from Buffalo, New York, who was a cast member in August 2017 to January 2018 in Orlando, Florida had no bad things to say about Disney. In fact she loves them so much she says, “After I graduate in December I am going back to Disney world, and I get to make the magic happen all over again.” During this term she worked as a park greeter at Hollywood Studios. She loves working with people and meeting new people from all over the world.

She will begin her next college program during that time. She said “getting to make magical moments happen for random guests and giving free things out to families” are her favorite things to do in the parks. She loves the make the magic happen, and see the happiness of other families. She will be graduating in December from University of Buffalo with a degree in communications.

Danielle is from Rochester, New York, who also was in the college program worked at Disney World in January of 2019 to July of 2019 in Orlando, Florida. “Ever since I was little, I’ve been obsessed with visiting and being in the parks” Danielle says. She believes that her happiest moments in her life were spent at Walt Disney World. Her favorite part of Disney, she said was “being able to interact with the guests and make their vacations truly magical”. During her time there she was a merchandise cast member in the Magic Kindgom. She worked in two different areas in the Pirates of the Caribbean gift shop and glow carts down Mainstreet. 

Danielle absolutely loved being behind the magic and making it happen for different families. Even though her Disney College program ended in May, she will be returning in October for a family vacation, and then going back to work for them that following January. She is not sure when she will be graduating from college just yet, but she plans to continue her degree in Psychology & Business management. 

The Disney College Program is made for college students only. In this program you have the opportunity to go and work for the Walt Disney World company. The application process happens at two different times one starting at the end of August, and the other starting at the end of February. Disney has hundreds of jobs that you can apply for from janitorial, to food services, to lifeguarding, and finally characters. But with characters there is a whole other process for that.      Disney has so many different opportunities for all majors and minors that can help anyone further their career. The program usually lasts about a semester; so from August to January and then another one starts in January and goes until July. There are others programs too that last longer from May to January or December until September. Both Parks, Walt Disney World, and DisneyLand both have the program. Some that have worked for the college program, have also become full time employees! 

Disney is known for underpaying their workers, but that is simply not true. Minimum wage in Florida is 8.46$ per hour. Depending the job placement, workers get paid more than minimum wage. Employees that work in food make 12-13$ an hour. People that work in merchandise, and in the stores in Disney make 13-15$ an hour. Lastly, the most paid employees in Disney are people who work as characters or work with characters, and they make at least 20$ an hour. In California it is almost double for every job.

For more information about the Disney college program, visit disneycareers.com scroll down to the Disney College program.