How hard is it to become a server?

[Iknewagirlnamed]

Hi everyone

I was wondering the difficulty of becoming a server at one of the sit down restaurants at WDW. One server at California Grill told me it wasn't hard at all and that when I go to The Casting Center they will give me a list of restaurants with openings. And from everyone else I have heard that it is very hard and you have to first become a host, wait until an opening is available, and then work your way in because it is based on seniority. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be a server at California Grill or another Signature restaurant. By the way, I have been serving for 2 years now and by the time I move down, I will have served for 3 years. I would also like to know first hand experience and how well monetarily some people have done while serving at WDW.

Thanks for all the advice in advance!

 

[DisneySaint]

Would like to know as well. Considered transfering there simply because the pay has got to be pretty good considering Disney is the #1 vacation destination in the world.

 

[progroupie]

I overheard someone at casting today being told that there were no positions open for servers currently, at least not for new cast members and that the best bet was to start in another role and put in a transfer request.
I have a friend who is a server in character dining and he said that on an average day (as in not peak season or summertime) he averages out his tips to be about $35 per hour.

 

[coasterphil]

Your chances of getting a server job right off the bat is very low, especially at a signature dining restaurant. I worked with one guy in my area that was there for 8 months before he got a transfer to a server role. He had over a year of serving experience when he applied.

 

[progroupie]

I would imagine it would be much easier to get a serving job at one of the non-Disney restaurants at Downtown Disney, like House of Blues or Rainforest Cafe, and I'd think the tips would be pretty comparable.

 

[mousermerf]

It's apparently quite hard to get into. They make good money.

It's sorta like being a highlander. A server has to be beheaded (fired) before you can get the job. Even around World Showcase the international CM's have to work in other areas before moving in the server roles.

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

I overheard someone at casting today being told that there were no positions open for servers currently, at least not for new cast members and that the best bet was to start in another role and put in a transfer request.
I have a friend who is a server in character dining and he said that on an average day (as in not peak season or summertime) he averages out his tips to be about $35 per hour.

WOW!!!!! That's a lot. Nice. Would you mind my asking which character dining restaurant he works? And do you know how long it took him to become a server/what his experience was? Thanks!

 

[progroupie]

He actually got quite lucky. For one semester Disney thought it would be a good idea to allow college program interns to serve and he extended into that role, he went full time after his program ended and then they did away with allowing interns to serve.

 

[bingie]

At our pavilion, and most of the WSC pavilions, the servers make between $250 - $500 a day.

No joke.

Although, the money is getting less with the removal of the free grat in the DDP.

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

Once again- wow. Amazing. However, one HAS to be from the individual country at World Showcase to serve there, right? Also, making $250-500/day, how many hours does that typically entail? Thanks!

 

[Dreamstuff]

Once again- wow. Amazing. However, one HAS to be from the individual country at World Showcase to serve there, right? Also, making $250-500/day, how many hours does that typically entail? Thanks!

I don't think you HAVE to be from the original country, although you might have to DESCEND from it somewhere in your ancestry :shrug:

 

[bingie]

Once again- wow. Amazing. However, one HAS to be from the individual country at World Showcase to serve there, right? Also, making $250-500/day, how many hours does that typically entail? Thanks!

There are three shifts available,

AM - opening to end of lunch seating (10am - 330)
PM - start of lunch seating to closing (300 - 10)
MID - both am and pm (10-10)

Now, you could leave a little earlier or later depending on your tables and your duties, but an AM shift would net you between 75-150 (food is less expensive, so the auto grat was less) and the PM can get 150-250. If you work both then well... you get the idea. :sohappy:

 

[Iknewagirlnamed]

Thanks for all the great info- it really means a lot to me. But just to clarify, would I have to be from an individual country to work there? If you don't mind my asking, which pavillion did you work at? Oh, and working both shifts, would you get a break in between to eat? I'm used to doing double shifts, so that would be great for me. Thanks again!

 

[bingie]

Thanks for all the great info- it really means a lot to me. But just to clarify, would I have to be from an individual country to work there? If you don't mind my asking, which pavillion did you work at? Oh, and working both shifts, would you get a break in between to eat? I'm used to doing double shifts, so that would be great for me. Thanks again!

Yes, you would have to be a citizen from one of the countries to work in that particular country, on stage.

Where do I work?? :zipit:

Sometimes you would not get a break, but making that kind of money - you would usually grab a bag of chips and go on with your shift

 

[mousermerf]

I think the requirement to work at a country is World Showcase is to have lived in that country for 1 year (it might only be 6 months even). I knew americans who cross trained at various countries because they had studied abroad or grew up somewhere for a few years.

 

[dani8706]

I worked in World Showcase for my CP, and here are the requirements for working in a pavilion there: For America, you can be born anywhere and still work in the pavilion (but there's no full service restaurant there). For the rest of the pavilions, you either have to be born in the country you're working for, or be a first generation American that speaks the language fluently. So, for example, if you were working in Italy, either your mother or father must have been born in Italy and you must be able to speak Italian. Using Italy as an example, I would say maybe five people in the whole pavilion actually lived in Orlando- the rest were here through the cultural rep or IP programs.