Disney World unfairly slammed for wages.

[Mr. Morrow]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38168029/ns/business-careers/


"These employees, who typically get on-the-job training and are expected to have good customer service skills"

I no for a fact that Disney CM go through a ton of training so this is false.

Why would the wages be really any hireer unless you are management?

 

[Monorail Lime]

I don't think the article is unfair or a slam against Disney. All it says is hourly Disney park employees aren't paid much, which is objectively accurate...

 

[Mr. Morrow]

I don't think the article is unfair or a slam against Disney. All it says is hourly Disney park employees aren't paid much, which is objectively accurate...

The way the wrote makes it sound like they are working for nothing and are barley trained.

 

[t3techcom18]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38168029/ns/business-careers/


"These employees, who typically get on-the-job training and are expected to have good customer service skills"

I no for a fact that Disney CM go through a ton of training so this is false.

Why would the wages be really any hireer unless you are management?

...Huh? As a CM, I can tell you do both: regular training from DU for your line of business, as well as on the job training in terms of the actual location you're at.

As for the wages to be higher....well, if this gives you any inclination...They must have posted the highest earning-per-hour wage available at WDW, cause that's definitely not what most people earn. I'm Seasonal, been there 4 years, and I get 7.35 an hour. More so, to 2010 standards, the FL minimum wage is 7.25 for non-tipped, at least 4.23 for tipped.

The wages for every CM SHOULD be dramatically increased, based both on department and experience. Sure, my Dad (who's been working for the company for 23 years now) gets 14-something an hour. My mom, however, got her job taken from full-time down to part-time 5 years ago, plus she works at a school, so no money except for my Dad and I are coming in.

Plainly put: the cost of living here in FL is much, MUCH more than what most CM's can afford. Many, like my family, are living paycheck to paycheck. That's the sheer reality of the situation: many CM's, while they're being told to act happy and they may be so while working, face a LOT of hard times financially.

Many CM's who are disgruntled are because of 3 things in particular: 1) Their Leaders are sucky, 2) Cause they're in a high-stress position, 3) They are sticklers for rules, not allowing any type of lineancy (sp?), which causes a division between young folks and older folks, which I have seen many, many times, including towards myself; and lastly, how can anyone be happy if they're being paid measly wages and measly benefits? Seasonals don't even get benefits, and Part Time only some. If you think Managers get a lot, they actually only get a tiny bit of increase from regular CM's (while their ego are usually the ones who get increased dramatically).

How can people be thankful and happy if they don't even have money to get the necessities?

 

[RobGraves]

disney is one of the lowest paying employers in orlando.. even in corporate jobs they pay bottom dollar. a friend of mine has worked for them for a decade in an office role and makes less than your average call center employee who has been on the job for a week. While universal also doesnt pay great... they pay more than Disney on average for equal jobs.

Secondly... Disney doesnt train like they used to. Traditions has been dropped to one day and in some cases 4hrs. And the on the job training has become very little as well... another friend who just started a couple months ago in a job i used to do in the parks was basically thrown to the wolves first day... where i didnt even see a guest for the first week i was there years ago.

This is one place you cant defend disney, they are one of the lowest paying employers in Orlando. Next time you are there think about that CM who is likely also collecting Welfare or living in a 2 bedroom apartment with 5 other people cause its the only way they can afford to live. Or the ones who sleep in their cars..

 

[Mr. Morrow]

disney is one of the lowest paying employers in orlando.. even in corporate jobs they pay bottom dollar. a friend of mine has worked for them for a decade in an office role and makes less than your average call center employee who has been on the job for a week. While universal also doesnt pay great... they pay more than Disney on average for equal jobs.

Secondly... Disney doesnt train like they used to. Traditions has been dropped to one day and in some cases 4hrs. And the on the job training has become very little as well... another friend who just started a couple months ago in a job i used to do in the parks was basically thrown to the wolves first day... where i didnt even see a guest for the first week i was there years ago.

This is one place you cant defend disney, they are one of the lowest paying employers in Orlando. Next time you are there think about that CM who is likely also collecting Welfare or living in a 2 bedroom apartment with 5 other people cause its the only way they can afford to live. Or the ones who sleep in their cars..

How is this Disney's fault? It is the theme park it has always been low paying. Those are lower jobs, this is like expecting a fast food worker to make 18 dollars an hour. These jobs are not designed to raise a family off of.

 

[RobGraves]

they are the largest employer in the area... and... you know what people like you really arent worth arguing with?

are you wanting a cheaply made burger fast or a great theme park experience. you obviously cant tell the difference.... People complain when you use the Term WALMARTING

well guess what... thats exactly what you ask for.

 

[devoy1701]

Trust me. Disney is not the "lowest paying employer in Orlando." As someone pointed out that they were seasonal and making $7.35 when minimum wage was $7.25 in Florida...there are definitely employers who are paying exactly that minimum wage.

With that being said...you shouldn't go into a CM job expecting to make a living off of it! These jobs are usually designed for people who aren't supporting a family and probably aren't usually considered long term anymore, that's why there is so much emphasis on the college program. Gone are the days where you can go in as a front line CM and expect to make it to upper management one day. And gone (mostly) are the days where an uneducated man like Walt Disney can run a multi-million dollar company. Unfortunate in some cases, but true, and mostly for the better considering everybody wants accountability nowadays.

College degrees, ambition, networking, and practical know-how do go along way in this country.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

they are the largest employer in the area... and... you know what people like you really arent worth arguing with?

are you wanting a cheaply made burger fast or a great theme park experience. you obviously cant tell the difference.... People complain when you use the Term WALMARTING

well guess what... thats exactly what you ask for.

These jobs are made for younger people ( I realize there are older CM) you aren't supposed to be able to raise a family as a JC skipper.

My point is that it has always been like this, I have worked for the mouse in the past and thought I was paid ok, not the best, and not the worst for what my job was.

 

[RobGraves]

ok... My friend who has been at disney for a decade has a college degree, works in an office position there and makes less than 14hr. One of her friends who got laid off last year got a job at another employer and makes considerably more doing the same job.

Take your Ayn Rand loving BS and shove it... Conservative BS like that will kill this country.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

Trust me. Disney is not the "lowest paying employer in Orlando." As someone pointed out that they were seasonal and making $7.35 when minimum wage was $7.25 in Florida...there are definitely employers who are paying exactly that minimum wage.

With that being said...you shouldn't go into a CM job expecting to make a living off of it! These jobs are usually designed for people who aren't supporting a family, that's why there is so much emphasis on the college program.

College degrees, ambition, networking, and practical know-how do go along way in this country.

I don't get why people can't understand this? This is why I never understand why minimum wage keeps going up. My first job was scooping ice cream at $5.15 an hour which was minimum wage at the time. Raising this MW does nothing but hurt small business like this one.

 

[devoy1701]

ok... My friend who has been at disney for a decade has a college degree, works in an office position there and makes less than 14hr. One of her friends who got laid off last year got a job at another employer and makes considerably more doing the same job.

Take your Ayn Rand loving BS and shove it... Conservative BS like that will kill this country.

why would you stay in a position for that long with a degree only making that much money???

again...it's called ambition, networking...and getting off your @$$ and making a name for yourself...not sitting idly by and hoping that opportunity just comes knocking.

 

[devoy1701]

I don't get why people can't understand this? This is why I never understand why minimum wage keeps going up. My first job was scooping ice cream at $5.15 an hour which was minimum wage at the time. Raising this MW does nothing but hurt small business like this one.

Oh, but I editted and added to my post since you've comment on it!

and you're right. My first job was at $5.35 an hour...so I got a second one too..and I did odd jobs for people when i wasn't working...all while going to school and maintaining a high grade point average! Go figure...

 

[Mr. Morrow]

ok... My friend who has been at disney for a decade has a college degree, works in an office position there and makes less than 14hr. One of her friends who got laid off last year got a job at another employer and makes considerably more doing the same job.

Take your Ayn Rand loving BS and shove it... Conservative BS like that will kill this country.

I have an office job right out of college even though I have been with the company over 1o years I still make under $14. Certain jobs are only worth so much.

 

[devoy1701]

I have an office job right out of college even though I have been with the company over 1o years I still make under $14. Certain jobs are only worth so much.

hope I did not cause you any offense from an earlier response of mine! :lookaroun

 

[RobGraves]

why would you stay in a position for that long with a degree only making that much money???

again...it's called ambition, networking...and getting off your @$$ and making a name for yourself...not sitting idly by and hoping that opportunity just comes knocking.

Its called having bills to pay and not wanting to lose your insurance, senority etc... Its also called a ty economy and job market where you have a lot of competition for jobs... She has been trying her ______ off to get out of Disney but so far no good.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

Oh, but I editted and added to my post since you've comment on it!

and you're right. My first job was at $5.35 an hour...so I got a second one too..and I did odd jobs for people when i wasn't working...all while going to school and maintaining a high grade point average! Go figure...

Exactly these jobs aren't supposed to be careers, you start off at the bottom and either work your way up or like I did left for greener pastures.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

Its called having bills to pay and not wanting to lose your insurance, senority etc... Its also called a ty economy and job market where you have a lot of competition for jobs... She has been trying her ______ off to get out of Disney but so far no good.

None of this is Disney's problem. If you are trying to raise a family workin a job like this, it is not smart. Come on I worked 2 jobes for years people are just lazy.

 

[stewdog1]

Its called having bills to pay and not wanting to lose your insurance, senority etc... Its also called a ty economy and job market where you have a lot of competition for jobs... She has been trying her ______ off to get out of Disney but so far no good.

I don't want to offend you, but you really need to get a clue. A company is not in business to make sure you get paid what you want. They are in business to make money.

It is your responsibility to find a job that you want, and make the type of money you want. It will NOT be handed to you just because you or someone decided to have a family or have bills to pay.

That's a great thing about this country, or at least used to be, if you don't like your circumstance, you get off your kiester and do something about it.

 

[t3techcom18]

None of this is Disney's problem. If you are trying to raise a family workin a job like this, it is not smart. Come on I worked 2 jobes for years people are just lazy.

....Annnd you're forgetting several things to take into account. I understand what you mean. I mean, come on, my Dad has a Masters in Theater. WDW was supposed to be like that for him and many other people - a stepping stone or a temp job til you get into something else.

However, Orlando is mainly a theme park industry environment. When you take away the hotels, the restaurants, the theme parks...there's nothing. There's almost absolutely no way to get an actual career here, unless A), You're an entrepeneur, B), Work in the financial field, and C), In a vocational and/or professional job (ie, lawyer, doctor, etc). There's nothing else here in Orlando except for hospitality jobs and most of the jobs they mentioned in that article. Because of that, and mainly how my Dad wasn't able to get a job anywhere else (we traveled for it, Naples, Sarasota, Miami, to name a few), my Dad was forced to stay here at WDW. It's not only because he wasn't able to find anything, but more so, you start somewhere else and you obviously lose the pay rate you have from seniority and experience. So to those saying this shouldn't be a career, I agree - for some it is as a way of loving Disney, but for many, MANY full-timers, it is because they can't and aren't able to go somewhere else. While it is not the best, while the pay rate is bad, while the benefits aren't good - at least you actually HAVE something. THAT is what has many people staying here for.

Also take into account that Disney is the largest employer here in FL, and one of the most open usually. Many people think that everything is fine and dandy, but many people who get a job here get stuck in it.

So before you knock full-timers in there for being lazy, remember the people like my Dad, who work 7 days a week, doubles on weekends, with no stopping and no vacation for any of his family for several years.

Lastly, to whoever referenced my payrate of 7.45 and minimum wage being 7.25: Remember, this is my Seasonal payrate after FOUR years. When I got hired in 2007, the minimum wage was 6.67 for non-tipped, tipped was 3.65. That's how much the minimum wage here in FL sucks.