A question for those who work in attractions...

[Lexxweb]

Hey hey,
I interviewed at Disney last week for attractions (which they are currently not hiring for) but I was placed on a waiting list. I think the interview went very well. I really want to work at Jungle Cruise (but I'd be just as excited if I was placed at Haunted Mansion or Pirates). Naturally, I told my interviewer about my interest in those attractions (emphasis on Jungle Cruise) and if/when I get hired I should be placed in the Adventureland/Liberty Square area.
For those of you reading and slightly confused, when you get hired into attractions you don't necessarily pick your attraction, you pick the area of the park you want to work in and they place you where they need you.
In a nutshell, I was trying to find help from somebody who HAS been hired into attractions and completed the Traditions class. I was told at the end of the class I meet with my training coordinator and I could tell him/her my interest in Jungle Cruise/HM/POTC and that they try their best to accommodate us. Is this true? Or at the end of the class am I going to find out that I've already been placed somewhere (like Hall of Presidents) and that's final!? In which case, do you have any tips for me now that might help before it's too late? I live 10 minutes from WDW, is there anything I can do to better my chances? I've already met some skippers and a coordinator from the Jungle Cruise.
Any help is appreciated!

Lexxweb

 

[Captain Hank]

Well, it is true that you meet your area's coordinator of training at the end of Traditions. I'm pretty sure that by then your initial attraction assignment has already been determined. Keep in mind that, particularly in areas with a lot of attractions, cross-training in another attraction may be possible after a certain amount of time in the area. It's also possible that you'll be trained initially on more than one attraction, depending on the department's needs and the amount of training required for the safe operation of the attraction(s).

From my own experience in investigating (though not actually transferring into) Ad/Lib attractions, it's very unlikely that you'll be put into Haunted Mansion--CMs are typically cross-trained onto Haunted Mansion after they've spent some time on other Ad/Lib attractions. I'm pretty sure that all other Ad/Lib attractions are fair game, though.

 

[Lexxweb]

Thanks,
I spoke to a friend who worked there and she calmed my nerves a bit. She said in addition to Haunted Mansion there's a good chance I also won't get Hall of Presidents and the Riverboat because those (like mansion) are attractions that mainly go to cast members who have already been with the company. I still have my fingers crossed for Jungle Cruise!!

Lexxweb

 

[Sir Hiss527]

Hi there. I currently work over at Mission:Space at Epcot. Here's what happened with me. When I first went to the casting center, they gave me a number of choices to choose from. I told them I wanted Future World East. I had no clue at the point, that I would be at M:S. So after my traditions class, I met with some guy, and he gave us our locations. As far as I know Jungle Cruise is extremely hard to get, due to it's popularity (for whatever reason) Anyways Good luck! Are you already scheduled for traditions? After the summer, the hype will go down, and positions will become available.

As far as the cross training goes, I know you can do that, and you have a better chance of getting in.

 

[nuttyskadork]

On my visit, the attractions or shows that seemed to have the most skilled, experienced, knowledgable or just charasmatic ride operators and hosts (so not including actors) were;
Haunted Mansion (the butler at the beginning was one of the top hosts in the whole world)
Jungle Cruise (we had a very good female skipper who had a dead pan style)
WDW Railroad
Test Track (very efficient in moving everything through)
Maelstrom (very efficient and friendly. the film host at the end was friendly also)
Innoventions
O Canada (very knowledgable and fun. where else do you have a trivia contest while waiting in line- unfortunately us Canadians were disqualified lol)
Mission:Space (Very efficient, friendly, and definetly looked the part)
Living With the Land (Friendly and nice)
Turtle Talk With Crush (not even mentioning Crush himself)
Backlot Tour at DHS (very good. not a lot of ad-libbing but still very good)
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (excellent. among the more charismatic of all the ride hosts. one particular guy gave us a "re-assuring" wave just as the elevator doors shut which made us all laugh.)
Walt Disney One Mans Dream (one of the staff was VERY knowledgable and friendly and had DEFINETLY done his research)
Kilimanjaro Safaris (very knowledgable and funny)
Maharajah Jungle Trek (knowledgable, friendly and approachable. One lady was pointing out hidden mickeys to guests. The people in the Bats area were EXTREMELY knowledgable.)
Festival of the Lion King (not even accoiunting for the actors; the staff were great and friendly)

Also, HUGE marks to at least one of the Bus Drivers I had, but that of course is VERY hit or miss.

The rides and shows where the attractions hosts (on the day I visited anyways) were any of the following
a) sounded like they were reading the spiehl off paper
b) were inaudible or unintelligible
c) were unfriendly or distant (I definetly wouldn't say rude, even the Disney rude would count for polite at most other places. I'm moreso saying for the types who just seem like they're just going through the motions).
NOTE: This is not meant to offend anyone; these were just my observations.
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor (the actors themselves were EXTREMELY talented; and the show, I Believe once we had a really good host, but the other time it was pretty bland)
Stitch's Great Escape (Pretty much a half-hearted opening spiehl and then they flipped a button)
Enchanted Tiki Room (sounded like they were reading the spiehl off a script)
Ellen's Energy Adventure (the lady was nice and informative but i'm pretty sure she was the only one on the ride so it took a while to get moving)
Circle of Life (no spiehl other than the typical exit one)
Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey (the lady had a strong accent and spoke very quickly- pretty sure she was reading it also. couldnt understand any of it.)
Kali River Rapids (they seemed very rushed. i feel for them though standing on that spinning deck all day.)

I didn't see Hall of Presidents or any of the boat rides at
mk

 

[ZambeziZelda]

I've been told that your attraction is already determined by the time you go through Traditions. There isn't really much you can do to get a specific location.

However, I do know that ATT more or less runs itself, so it needs very few CMs- thus, very few get hired into it.

Jungle has a fairly high turnover rate (I've been there for less than 2 months, and already have seniority over what feels like half the staff) so they're always bringing new Skips in...so I would imagine you would have a fairly good chance of getting Jungle :wave:

 

[Lexxweb]

Thanks! I haven't been called in yet, still waiting. Which is fine by me because the longer I wait the closer to the end of summer we get. I know that a lot of people are just working for the summer, or they're doing a summer internship of some sort. At this rate, by the time they're hiring for attractions, every attraction might need help so there's still hope for jungle!

 

[Lexxweb]

*blows dust off thread*

Hi, it's the end of November. I'm still on that waiting list

High-five for the economy!

Lexxweb

 

[JungleCruise]

Jeez, sorry to hear you still haven't heard back Lexx! I have my fingers crossed for you

 

[iKat]

Lexx, I feel your pain.. I've been on since August for a Front Desk position and haven't heard anything either.
I was actually just gonna post a thread on not hearing back for awhile. The person I interviewed with said I should hear in November, but I guess the economy wasn't so horrible in August.

Let me know when you get called, hopefully with Christmas coming up, it won't be long.

 

[SirGoofy]

Yea, your attraction is already determined by the time you go through traditions.

Good luck, and I hope you do end up on the Jungle! It's the best job in the parks...of course I may be a little biased. :lol:

 

[Tom Morrow]

edit: removed

 

[Polyman]

Nobody is getting called because there is a hiring and transfer freeze in affect. Hasn't anyone told you that? :shrug:

 

[DznyGrlSD]

*sigh* I've always wanted to work Ad-Lib attractions...

 

[The_CEO]

" Pay your dues at the Jungle Cruise."

 

[iKat]

Nobody is getting called because there is a hiring and transfer freeze in affect. Hasn't anyone told you that? :shrug:

I'm so confused about that... most of the cast members I've talked to are saying that's just a rumor and that they are hiring, just slowly :shrug:

 

[AcidRain]

Can you do attractions if your in the CS program? Its on the application but i had a friend who previously did the CS and said attractions wasnt available.