On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[Lilofan]

My favorite is when people say "I worked and paid my own way through college; if people would just do that they wouldn't have all this student loan debt!!" conveniently ignoring the fact that college generally costs 15-20x as much (and sometimes even more) as it did then.

Paying off loan debt faster? , go to a public university rather than private. Less loans to pay off. Feeling adventurous and want to serve your country? Go the ROTC route and free college. I worked through school, winter , summer break and didn't make excuses and put on my big boy pants. I'm glad I took investing classes in school and started early.

 

[bryanfze55]

Do you really think a parallel move is better? Do you think working at another hotel chain in another town is the solution? Working for Burger King opposed to McDonalds, finding happiness at Arby's? The false dream here is not having hope given your current situation, but that being a transient worker will eventually lead you to the perfect job. No job is perfect, which is why when starting a business, they say do something you love, because even then, it will be a struggle to make you feel like giving up. Sorry, but the real world is filled with bad bosses, and all jobs will have elements that you may not like, not just working for Disney.

This never-ending pursuit of happiness is why clinical depression is skyrocketing in this country. Every job is better, every relationship is better, until is isn't. Your lack of perseverance is exactly what is wrong with people today. Something doesn't make you 'feel' good, quit. Your lack of understanding from anything other than your own optics is appalling.

The point here is clear, going from job to job is not a fundamental strategy to get ahead. Staying at your current job is, look for opportunity, and take action. At some point it may be time to move on, but it shouldn't be a quit first, try again later approach.

If you go the extra mile, the road is often less crowded.

Unfortunately, as much as I empathize with those people, staying at your company is usually the worst way to get ahead. I guess I’m not really sure how it works in retail or fast food; but at least in a corporate environment, changing jobs and/or companies is the quickest and easiest way to be rewarded financially.

 

[Piebald]

Paying off loan debt faster? , go to a public university rather than private. Less loans to pay off. Feeling adventurous and want to serve your country? Go the ROTC route and free college. I worked through school, winter , summer break and didn't make excuses and put on my big boy pants. I'm glad I took investing classes in school and started early.

When did you graduate?

 

[Heppenheimer]

Paying off loan debt faster? , go to a public university rather than private. Less loans to pay off. Feeling adventurous and want to serve your country? Go the ROTC route and free college. I worked through school, winter , summer break and didn't make excuses and put on my big boy pants. I'm glad I took investing classes in school and started early.

I will say this... ROTC is not for everyone. But because of this (and the Health Professions Scholarship Program), I didn't pay a cent for undergrad or med school and started my career with zero educational debt. And it gave me the chance to live overseas for nearly a decade.

 

[Beacon Joe]

That perhaps chimes with why my school didn't participate in the program and why the closest seminar was at a university with... lets just say, lesser national prominence or name recognition.

I was recently wondering why I never even knew about the College Program while I was an undergrad. I would have totally jumped at the chance to take a semester away from the academic hellscape and stress. I figured that maybe my university was too snooty to bring in something like a vocationally-oriented "internship" recruiter, but I guess Disney simply didn't target my school for recruiting.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I was recently wondering why I never even knew about the College Program while I was an undergrad. I would have totally jumped at the chance to take a semester away from the academic hellscape and stress. I figured that maybe my university was too snooty to bring in something like a vocationally-oriented "internship" recruiter, but I guess Disney simply didn't target my school for recruiting.

Ditto here. I only learned about it after a cast member commented on a university T shirt I happened to be wearing and we started talking.

 

[Lilofan]

When did you graduate?

Many moons ago. There was a Time magazine article called "The Death of Equities". They were so wrong to try convince people about the ills of the market.

 

[ElvisMickey]

I know of a few CM’s who were also adult entertainers off site after work, so it’s not unheard of.

If you follow Instagram, you’ll see that several of them have a Pixie Dust account...and a personal account. Quite the contrast.

 

[Beacon Joe]

Ditto here. I only learned about it after a cast member commented on a university T shirt I happened to be wearing and we started talking.

That program is one of those things I wish I could have done. I guess my fatal mistake when I visited WDW after my Freshman year was not attempting to chat up CMs outside of the Norway pavilion.

 

[flynnibus]

Or maybe I'm just a very unlucky person and everyone else doing this would have a job within days of moving. Either way, I look at those kinds of responses and shake my head, because I went through a much easier version of what you suggest and still wouldn't wish it on anyone, and I otherwise generally like the idea of moving to a new city/area every now and then. It's easy to suggest doing something, actually doing what you suggest...good luck. I definitely don't want to try that again, 100% for real and on my own this time, unless I already have a job lined up/are transferring

Note I never said pickup and move on a dime... go back and read where I said 'what are you doing about it?' - Are you saving? Are you researching what it costs in other possible locations? Are you prioritizing your spending? Are you finding out what you NEED before moving, etc? I can guarantee you 95% of the people complaining about where they are now - are not doing those things to work out how to break the cycle. Just going around complaining about their town... and how it's so bad. Most people are afraid to move because they don't think they can afford it. Ok, so what are you doing to make it so you can afford it?

These are life changing decisions... but the entire point is "Are you working to change things, or are you gonna sit and just be miserable forever?"

You aren't stuck where you are - anyone telling you that is holding you back. People just have to be willing to do their part.

With the lockdown going on.. my niece's normal gig had no future. With all the J-1 visa students unable to come this year the beach resorts are DYING for people. So they got a group together, in one weekend found a seasonal rental and had 3 job offers in one day. She's only 17. They're living there now. Sure this is only temporary... but they're making money now vs nothing and making enough to bank savings to work out the next step. Or she could have just stayed at my sister's house for the summer twiddling her thumbs about how shutdown sucks.

My oldest kid had both her jobs shutdown by covid, as did her fiancé. After a few weeks, she found a job that would give her hours working the counter at a food place. Eventually one of her jobs came back, and in the interim kept pushing and found an even better full time job. So she's been working part time in two jobs even during the pandemic, and is setup to work full time plus one of those jobs part time starting later this month. This weekend they moved into their first house after living on their own for the last 2 years in an apartment. The only support she gets from me is she's allowed to be on my insurance and my phone plan.

The world doesn't have to be as miserable as people describe CM working conditions in Orlando. Stop acting like 'this is how it has to be...'. Put together a plan, find out what you need, then start doing the things you need to make it real.

If you don't - yes, you'll be stuck there forever or sliding backwards.

I see it even in my high paying industry. People doing the same exact job for like 10 years. You talk to them about their direction, and they have none. They're just happy to treat water and hope the pool never gets drained while they are still in it. Then, when the layoffs do hit, they wander aimlessly wondering 'why me...'.

 

[brianstl]

Companies are smarter. They offer extensions to the contract so it doesn't expire.

You really have no clue when it comes to contracts, labor law and labor relations. A company offering an extension doesn’t mean a union can’t strike.

 

[Beacon Joe]

If you follow Instagram, you’ll see that several of them have a Pixie Dust account...and a personal account. Quite the contrast.

Need a PM to determine your assertion's veracity.

 

[Lilofan]

You really have no clue when it comes to contracts, labor law and labor relations. A company offering an extension doesn’t mean a union can’t strike.

You the same . Do you see CMs on the picket line? ?

 

[PhotoDave219]

I know of a few CM’s who were also adult entertainers off site after work, so it’s not unheard of.

That explains some of the visits to the NBA hotels....

 

[mkt]

I worked at Disney while I attended UCF.

Charge on Fellow Knight.

kids coming from UVA, UT Austin or UW.

Funny you mention those. I dated a UW girl, and she basically in a full UW apartment. Kind of amazing. Also, Disney does recruit at UT Austin, I've known quite a few CP's from there, including a few who came back into higher level positions.

But yes...

CPs seemed to be of two mindsets. Some were like me, just enjoying a semester or 2 working but really just living in a college dorm essentially and having fun. But for a lot of the kids, this was an opportunity to get out Nowheresville, USA

This was a lot of them.

Certainly not ivy leagues either.

Not CP's, I personally know 5 Ivy League Grads who worked or work for Disney (including one that used to post here). One Cornell alum in resorts, one Yale alum is an actor, the second Yale alum was a part time character performer on the weekends while he was in law school, a Brown Alum worked for WDI, and a UPenn alum who is a developer and works part time in entertainment at the parks.

But yes, a lot get sucked in. A lot extend their program and then they realize they dont want to go back to University of Phoenix main campus and just work at Disney.

I'm glad I was fired before I had the chance to become a lifer.

 

[The_Jobu]

I worked at Disney while I attended UCF.

That's neat. I wouldn't mind working at UCF for a few years to be close to the parks, but they dont seem to ever need profs with my background. Looks like a fun school though.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It can be summed up really easy. 'Are you working to change anything?' - If they can't outline what they are doing to change things - then sure, call it smug... because yes, as an adult I expect people to look out for themselves and their future. Not just complain about it.

Flynn is right here.

Gotta be the change you want to see in the world.

 

[mkt]

Paying off loan debt faster? , go to a public university rather than private. Less loans to pay off. Feeling adventurous and want to serve your country? Go the ROTC route and free college. I worked through school, winter , summer break and didn't make excuses and put on my big boy pants. I'm glad I took investing classes in school and started early.

I went to a public university and still graduated with debt. It's paid off though, at the cost of my retirement. But the daily compound interest outpaced the growth of my 401k, so the decision was made.

Now I'm rushing to pay it back - so far so good.

 

[tissandtully]

Is there a way to get the TLDR on the main points of this post?

 

[mkt]

You really have no clue when it comes to contracts, labor law and labor relations. A company offering an extension doesn’t mean a union can’t strike.

A strike at Disney will be kind of pointless when the majority of guest facing areas are far from the property line. The only place for some visibility will be on the sidewalk outside of Hotel Plaza Blvd.