Highest Paid Cast Member

[TheDowntownDino]

Curious who you think is the highest paid cast member at WDW? I was thinking maybe one of the leads in a major show (Lion King, Nemo, Frozen, etc.). Has to have interactions with the guests to be eligible

 

[disney4life2008]

From my understanding lion king performers are part of the Broadway protection plan. So they have Disney and Broadway benefits.

Excluding them i think it's obvious front line management makes the most.

 

[HMFan999]

Back when I was a CM the rumor was that the tinkerbell who flew before the fireworks was extremely well paid due to hazard pay.

 

[pluto77]

Back when I was a CM the rumor was that the tinkerbell who flew before the fireworks was extremely well paid due to hazard pay.

It’s not just a rumor, she is one of two characters that get hazard pay. The other one is Ariel in Fantasmic! After the boat with all of
the characters go by, all of them have to run to one side of the boat for shelter from the fireworks. They don’t have time to move Ariel though, so the other characters just put a bag over her and leave her when the fireworks go off. My Aunt took the Keys to the Kingdom tour, and I think she said that they said those 2 get a full day’s pay for the one appearance they make (someone can correct me if I’m wrong about how it works exactly, but I do know they both get hazard pay).

 

[Goofyernmost]

OMG, there has got to be a "bag over her head" joke in there somewhere.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

those 2 get a full day’s pay for the one appearance they make

Wow, that's at least $32 then, maybe even like $35!

 

[Minthorne]

Highest paid cast member = Bob

 

[Kamikaze]

highest paid cast member at WDW?

George Kalogridis

Thats if you don't include Bob Chapek who as Chairman of P&R can technically be considered a WDW CM. Kalogridis is definitely the highest paid CM that is stationed at WDW, though.

If you're talking non-executive level, then I would probably start with people that have been there for the longest.

 

[larryz]

Are you including tips in this calculation?

 

[marni1971]

All I know is the pavilion is being looked at now to return to being a guest facility and not an event building / storeroom.

It’s not just a rumor, she is one of two characters that get hazard pay. The other one is Ariel in Fantasmic! After the boat with all of
the characters go by, all of them have to run to one side of the boat for shelter from the fireworks. They don’t have time to move Ariel though, so the other characters just put a bag over her and leave her when the fireworks go off. My Aunt took the Keys to the Kingdom tour, and I think she said that they said those 2 get a full day’s pay for the one appearance they make (someone can correct me if I’m wrong about how it works exactly, but I do know they both get hazard pay).

OMG, there has got to be a "bag over her head" joke in there somewhere.

It’s more than a bag. It’s a fireproof hood that covers the whole person.

Sit extreme stage right and you can see it being fitted in the shadows.

 

[Goofyernmost]

So a full body prophylactic?

Spoiler

I almost included a picture from the Naked Gun series, but, then thought better of it.

Spoiler

Yes, Martin, I knew what you were talking about.

 

[marni1971]

So a full body prophylactic?

Spoiler

I almost included a picture from the Naked Gun series, but, then thought better of it.

Spoiler

Yes, Martin, I knew what you were talking about.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I was thinking the stunt guys acting in the Indiana Jones show and the CM portraying Indy must get a good wage. They are doing a lot of timed action that takes a lot of training, and facing the hazards around the explosions, fire and moving plane propeller.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I remember them telling us on the Keys to the Kingdom tour it was Tinkerbelle (the one that flies from the castle) and the fire knife dancers (luau & Festival of the Lion King) because of the hazard pay. Interesting about the Ariel fact from Fantasmic.

 

[The_Jobu]

One of the bus drivers told me he was the highest paid CM.

 

[crxbrett]

One of the bus drivers told me he was the highest paid CM.

Ha! Well played.

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

I was thinking the stunt guys acting in the Indiana Jones show and the CM portraying Indy must get a good wage. They are doing a lot of timed action that takes a lot of training, and facing the hazards around the explosions, fire and moving plane propeller.

Especially the guy in charge of explosives, because explosives ... are dangerous.

 

[Tavernacle12]

If it’s so dangerous to have Ariel in that position, is there a reason they haven’t swapped her mermaid fins for the aqua dress costume? Tinkerbelle’s appearance is a classic but I’m surprised they leave Ariel like that, it seems unnecessary (though probably great for the cast member).

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Soon....it'll be be the CM's guarding the gates at SWL...Saying...."sorry, we've reached capacity.." = hazard pay (I'm sure some will be physically assaulted)......pray for them....(but then again...may be a college program type assignment...so at least they'll get credits)

 

[toonaspie]

Back when I did the College Program, I was of the understanding that pay was pretty much the same regardless of what attraction you work and was based more on how long you've worked for Disney. (Pay goes up the longer you've been employed I think).

If we're talking resort-wide, I imagine though the highest paid CMs would be working at Grand Floridian in a managerial position.