A Spirited Perfect Ten

[brb1006]

My mom (Who doesn't know much about Disney) just compared the Cast Members at Walt Disney World to fast food workers. She seriously thinks the CM that worked as the various characters at WDW are the lowest type of job. While I do dream big, she thinks that working at WDW is like a typical type of job you would get at a restaurant or fast food chain.

Edit: Everythings all cleared up now.

 

[NearTheEars]

My mom (Who doesn't know much about Disney) just compared the Cast Members at Walt Disney World to fast food workers. She seriously thinks the CM that worked as the various characters at WDW are the lowest type of job. While I do dream big, she thinks that working at WDW is like a typical type of job you would get at a restaurant or fast food chain.

Well, many cast aren't making premium wages, so they should be comparable to a starter job, such as one you'd get at a fast food restaurant.

Obviously if your plan is to keep moving up the ladder, then you could potentially make it a career.

 

[AEfx]

My mom (Who doesn't know much about Disney) just compared the Cast Members at Walt Disney World to fast food workers. She seriously thinks the CM that worked as the various characters at WDW are the lowest type of job. While I do dream big, she thinks that working at WDW is like a typical type of job you would get at a restaurant or fast food chain.

She is absolutely right. Characters don't make much more than minimum wage, the "face" characters (i.e. that you have to somewhat look like the character, like Cinderella, etc.) make a buck or two more.

When you consider all of the extra things that go along with working at Disney - it can take you 30+ minutes to get to your post even after you arrive at work, all the extra things expected of "magical" experiences, etc. - and the fact that they do basically pay FOTL employees fast food wages, is why they have to rely so much on CPers and such because it's more economical, and easier, for a lot of folks to just work at McDonalds where they make about the same amount and can park and walk into work within 30 seconds, and leave at the end of the day just as easily.

 

[brb1006]

Well, many cast aren't making premium wages, so they should be comparable to a starter job, such as one you'd get at a fast food restaurant.

Obviously if your plan is to keep moving up the ladder, then you could potentially make it a career.

I must be thinking of making it a career since I would mostly confuse a Job with a career. I have trouble telling the differences though.

 

[brb1006]

She is absolutely right. Characters don't make much more than minimum wage, the "face" characters (i.e. that you have to somewhat look like the character, like Cinderella, etc.) make a buck or two more.

When you consider all of the extra things that go along with working at Disney - it can take you 30+ minutes to get to your post even after you arrive at work, all the extra things expected of "magical" experiences, etc. - and the fact that they do basically pay FOTL employees fast food wages, is why they have to rely so much on CPers and such because it's more economical, and easier, for a lot of folks to just work at McDonalds where they make about the same amount and can park and walk into work within 30 seconds, and leave at the end of the day just as easily.

Thanks for the explanation, I must have be thinking of making this a career but I'll wait until this idea gets finalized in the future.

 

[AEfx]

Round up of TFA records broken this weekend (courtesy Hollywood Reporter):

(Note: the only one that it may not break is worldwide weekend, which it looks like they will come in a scant few million under Jurassic World, because Jurassic World opened in China to the tune of around $100M as well, and TFA doesn't open there until January.)


Biggest Thursday night - North America
Force Awakens amassed $57 million, easily passing up the $43 million earned in previews by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 in July 2011.


Biggest Friday and biggest single day - North America
The film took in $120.5 million, outpacing the $91 million earned by Deathly Hallows 2, the final title in the Harry Potter franchise.

Biggest domestic opening - North America
Force Awakens is only the third movie in history to open north of $200 million. The other two are Jurassic World and fellow Disney release, Marvel's The Avengers ($207.4 million, 2011).


Biggest December Opening - North America
The seventh film in the Star Wars series did nearly three times the business that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey did in its opening weekend in mid-December 2012.

Biggest December Opening - Global
The previous best was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($250 million, 2003).


First movie to cross $100 million in one day - North America
Force Awakens cracked the $100 million mark less than 24 hours after it started rolling out in theaters at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Fastest movie to cross $200 million - Global
The tentpole hit $250 million in worldwide ticket sales in only three days after beginning to roll out overseas on Wednesday.

Biggest location average for a wide release - North America
Boasting a theater average of $57,568, Force Awakens wrested the record previously set by the final Harry Potter film ($38,672).

Record Imax Opening - Global
Imax theaters took in $30.1 million in North America, and $48 million worldwide after Abrams shot a key sequence that was on full display on Imax screens. Force Awakens stomped past Jurassic World ($44 million) and did nearly double the $25.2 million launch of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Biggest Opening Weekends - International
Force Awakens scored the biggest opening weekend in key markets including the U.K. ($48.9 million, four-day), Germany ($27.3 million), Australia ($18.9 million) and Russia ($12.3 million). It debuted at No. 1 in every market except for South Korea and Vietnam.

 

[PhotoDave219]

My mom (Who doesn't know much about Disney) just compared the Cast Members at Walt Disney World to fast food workers. She seriously thinks the CM that worked as the various characters at WDW are the lowest type of job. While I do dream big, she thinks that working at WDW is like a typical type of job you would get at a restaurant or fast food chain.

She's right.

 

[BrianLo]

Amen @WDWFigment

I'm going to be the Devil's advocate and say this is absolutely the best route that Disney is taking. We're now on the third iteration of their constant 'make it bigger, make it better' mantra for the Star Wars Land. They've pretty much exceeded the amount of space we've thought possible that Disneyland could expand with this effort.

Yes a fleshed out third gate would be awesome - but at the rate Disney moves a third gate wouldn't even remotely be wished into existence this decade... Not even realistically the first half of next. That's just way too long. The fact Disney pulled their s*** together fast enough to produce this land before the current trilogy ends is way above and beyond our usual low expectations.

The other thing is the assumption that this is the end of the Star Wars investment is laughable. If this land is a success, there is no reason to imagine it doesn't get the Harry Potter treatment with another planet in another park. That's honestly (in my opinion) the better way of handling Star Wars then a pure Star Wars park in 2025+.

Let's all be thankful someone at least forced the powers that be to redo these plans over and over until they finally became ambitious and not a tomorrowland overlay...

 

[AEfx]

Thanks for the explanation, I must have be thinking of making this a career.

Honestly, if you want to work at Disney, find something you like that they need, and go to school and study it. Almost no one starts in custodial or fast food or characters these days and suddenly makes their way through the company. The best that can be hoped for is a FOTL manager position, which again - you might as well work hard to be the manager of a KFC or Wendy's, because you'll make about the same and have less headaches in a lot of cases.

But I think the truth you may not want to hear is - and something that I think a lot of folks here would probably agree with - many of us have been there before, and it sounds so romantic to want to work at Disney, but in truth - once you start being backstage every day, seeing the piles of trash stacked up against the back of an attraction, or the dirty truths about how the behind the scenes has to be run in an operation like this (just let me say - it's not all magical behind the scenes, most people break their faces smiling on stage all day so it's actually rather somber)....but in truth, you are just better off to stay a fan. Find an occupation that you enjoy and that you can make money with and live wherever you want - and then just visit the magic, because once you move there, a lot of it starts to disappear.

 

[flynnibus]

$238,000,000 domestic for opening weekend.

$517,000,000 worldwide.


Holy cow.

The amount of sw clothing I saw in the parks last week alone probably paid for the film

It's amazing actually how diverse the customer base was... Culture event. And I'm off to see tfa myself in 15mins

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Honestly, if you want to work at Disney, find something you like that they need, and go to school and study it. Almost no one starts in custodial or fast food or characters these days and suddenly makes their way through the company. The best that can be hoped for is a FOTL manager position, which again - you might as well work hard to be the manager of a KFC or Wendy's, because you'll make about the same and have less headaches in a lot of cases.

But I think the truth you may not want to hear is - and something that I think a lot of folks here would probably agree with - many of us have been there before, and it sounds so romantic to want to work at Disney, but in truth - once you start being backstage every day, seeing the piles of trash stacked up against the back of an attraction, or the dirty truths about how the behind the scenes has to be run in an operation like this (just let me say - it's not all magical behind the scenes, most people break their faces smiling on stage all day so it's actually rather somber)....but in truth, you are just better off to stay a fan. Find an occupation that you enjoy and that you can make money with and live wherever you want - and then just visit the magic, because once you move there, a lot of it starts to disappear.

Agreed. The days when a Phil Holmes or a George Kalogridis can work their way up from MK CM or waiter at The Top of the World, now California Grill, are over. However, there is the professional internship program for skilled labor and use that to get your foot in the door for a better job than a frontline CM or FotL manager.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Agreed. The days when a Phil Holmes or a George Kalogridis can work their way up from MK CM or waiter at The Top of the World, now California Grill, are over. However, there is the professional internship program for skilled labor and use that to get your foot in the door for a better job than a frontline CM or FotL manager.

These days? Its College Program -> Advanced Internship -> Professional Internship -> Basic Management. (Networking all the way, of course) That is the (main) career path.

Secondary? Bachelors -> MBA -> Accounting at WDW

Working your way up from Front Line? Very, very difficult these days. This is a very insular, nepotistic company that is all about who you know, rather than what you can do.

 

[Nubs70]

Illegal downloading tends to hurt small to midsize films the most, hence the rise of day and date VOD.

Illegal downloading only hurts movies that are crap. Since most movies are crap, I guess it does hurt the industry. Deliver a quality product and experience, downloading will decrease.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Illegal downloading only hurts movies that are crap. Since most movies are crap, I guess it does hurt the industry. Deliver a quality product and experience, downloading will decrease.

Legal digital distribution and online streaming is actually causing a decline in the amount of illegal downloads. That and shortening the gap between domestic and foreign release dates and more foreign films allowed per year in China.

 

[Mike S]

I'm going to be the Devil's advocate and say this is absolutely the best route that Disney is taking. We're now on the third iteration of their constant 'make it bigger, make it better' mantra for the Star Wars Land. They've pretty much exceeded the amount of space we've thought possible that Disneyland could expand with this effort.

Yes a fleshed out third gate would be awesome - but at the rate Disney moves a third gate wouldn't even remotely be wished into existence this decade... Not even realistically the first half of next. That's just way too long. The fact Disney pulled their s*** together fast enough to produce this land before the current trilogy ends is way above and beyond our usual low expectations.

The other thing is the assumption that this is the end of the Star Wars investment is laughable. If this land is a success, there is no reason to imagine it doesn't get the Harry Potter treatment with another planet in another park. That's honestly (in my opinion) the better way of handling Star Wars then a pure Star Wars park in 2025+.

Let's all be thankful someone at least forced the powers that be to redo these plans over and over until they finally became ambitious and not a tomorrowland overlay...

The Harry Potter treatment? So, Star Wars in Epcot with some kind of connection to DHS?

 

[BrianLo]

The Harry Potter treatment? So, Star Wars in Epcot with some kind of connection?

I was just referring to DLR and not in terms of transit between parks. Just that Star Wars can exist in two different parks in the same resort... and that's totally ok logistically as they are physically different planets and presumably very different biomes.

WDW certainly has the means and space to stick with just DHS if they want to keep expanding.

 

[Mike S]

I was just referring to DLR and not in terms of transit between parks. Just that Star Wars can exist in two different parks in the same resort... and that's totally ok logistically as they are physically different planets and presumably very different biomes.

WDW certainly has the means and space to stick with just DHS if they want to keep expanding.

Yeah that's much better for it to stay in DHS.

 

[PhotoDave219]

If I lived in California, I'd care about Disneyland. But......

 

[flynnibus]

If I lived in California, I'd care about Disneyland. But......

Flying is cheap when you pay for less people and can control when you can go my next trip if any is thinking Cali

Unless star wars is a whole new level of nerdgasim- it's gonna be hard to get me back to wdw

 

[Cesar R M]

Because of ESPN & cord cutting, yes

yo Dave, I have a question regarding TFA ( I seen it today).

Ill pm you.