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Information Technology
- Thread starter SCDizney
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cm1988
Active Member
Been there, done that...
...and got several t-shirts over the years. Tough place to work but great learning experience. Easiest way in is consulting unless you know someone (and not just a one-time acquaintance). Please do not even think of taking another WDW job with hopes of transfer! College program is another way in. Good luck.
...and got several t-shirts over the years. Tough place to work but great learning experience. Easiest way in is consulting unless you know someone (and not just a one-time acquaintance). Please do not even think of taking another WDW job with hopes of transfer! College program is another way in. Good luck.
Thanks for the response. :animwink: DW is planning on retiring in 6 years and we want to move to the Orlando area at that time. I would like to now building up a relationship with someone there now so that when we start planning the transition I could possibly have a job at WDW already lined up. I had heard that it was tough to get in, so it would be great to know someone there that could tell me what skills I should focus on, etc..
What is tough about working in IT there?
As far as the CP goes, it is out of the question for me. I have a degree and too many years of IT experience to think about the CP. A friend of mine knows a few folks that work there or at least used too, but he can't seem to get in touch with them at the moment.:shrug: He was trying to get me a tour of the Datacenter when I go in Feb. but no luck. Thanks again for the information.
SCDizney
What is tough about working in IT there?
As far as the CP goes, it is out of the question for me. I have a degree and too many years of IT experience to think about the CP. A friend of mine knows a few folks that work there or at least used too, but he can't seem to get in touch with them at the moment.:shrug: He was trying to get me a tour of the Datacenter when I go in Feb. but no luck. Thanks again for the information.
SCDizney
cm1988
Active Member
Skills to focus on? Depends on your specialties, I guess. They have a varied infrastructure requiring pretty much the whole spectrum of skills. Development has largely been outsourced/offshored. IBM (I think) handles the PC/LAN and support desk. Any other niche should be available somewhere.
Enterprise IT experience elsewhere would be most advantageous. As in lifecycle methodology, systems security, data warehousing, OO design, UML, XML, Xbox (ok, not xbox).
Wow, I could have fun answering that question. But seriously, folks...
WDW IT is a large corporate organization with several management levels. Most of the people are just dang brilliant. If you're looking for career growth, expect a hearty scramble at each rung of the ladder.
But I see you are mid/late career and so that might be less of a detriment to you. Just be prepared to be little fish, big pond. Make that tiny fish swimming upstream against a current of challenges with a charming grin on its finny face. Like Nemo?
Also you are most decidedly behind the scenes. You don't see the smiles on the guest faces. You don't smell the popcorn (except the rank microwave stuff) or hear the Disney music (except when on hold for IBM's tech support). Unless you are an executive, you work in a cubicle with grey walls, a black phone and a Mickey pen that someone from Human Resources gave you. Is a Mickey pen enough to "connect" you to Disney? Well, World Of Disney offers several excellent varieties and you can work wherever you want.
Ok, that isn't entirely fair. Some teams do get out for team-building a few times per year. Look for a gaggle of nearsighted geeks in business-casual and leather shoes trooping around World Showcase some Friday afternoon. They won't have their name tags on, but you will know them.
Enjoy your upcoming trip! I love being in Orlando; love my annual pass and Epcot. Even like the "new" spaceship earth. I'd live at the Yacht & Beach if I could handle the rent.
Don't mind working elsewhere, and still enjoy the memories; just cannot say they are so much different than working for any good company.
As for what to cultivate if WDW remains a powerful goal; again, I'd say learn which companies are placing contract workers there. You can enjoy good pay; be part of the team and if it goes well for you, they almost certainly will offer you a job. Really.
WOW Thanks for the information. I am currently working for a company that has a small data center(300 Servers). We host applications primarily; think Citrix, Terminal Server, Web Apps. We also do on-site support of Servers (Small Business Server) and PC's. I'm working towards the Server team and expect to get placed there pretty soon. This company is helping me get the certifications to match my experience. It's a small pond where we all are small fish. I have a four year degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management and about 26 or so years in IT. The friend of mine I mentioned earlier is my current supervisor and another Dizneyphile. He also knows of my 6 year plan and is willing to help me attain the goal. I don't mind the cubicle environment. I just want to be able to visit the parks whenever and know that I am helping, even behind the scenes, to make the magic. IT is always behind the scenes until something doesn't work right and then it's a public stoning. :animwink: Again thanks for your input.
Another question I had, is what about horizontal movement with in the company. Lets say I work in Data Mining for 10 years and get bored. How hard would it be to move to another department with in IT or to another area completely such as Park or Hotel management?
SCDizney
BTW Let me know if you would rather move this discussion to private messages.
Another question I had, is what about horizontal movement with in the company. Lets say I work in Data Mining for 10 years and get bored. How hard would it be to move to another department with in IT or to another area completely such as Park or Hotel management?
SCDizney
BTW Let me know if you would rather move this discussion to private messages.
cm1988
Active Member
Broken record here: some of that stuff is being done 3rd party; even remotely.
Ok, that's fine, but please keep in mind Florida Resident Annual Passes get you parked and through the front gates 365 days a year for a quite reasonable cost. That is where the magic is both made and seen. Guest + Cast = Magic; Cast + Cast = Teamwork.
Growing up, I learned to love Disney; in particular Walt's contribution to shaping popular culture through the 50's until his too-early passing in the mid-60's. His vision and dream endures; now branded as magic. But as a Cast Member, I learned that the most important thing I could do is try to make this current day a good one for those around me. If you sell popcorn in a park, that sphere of influence includes about 400 people per hour. If you walk backwards on the Peter Pan ramp, the number is considerably larger.
But I think I've put that into a different perspective, seeing law enforcement officers risking their lives, and school teachers patiently working with differently-abled kids, and phlebotomists drawing my blood, and people installing glass on high windy ledges.
Those folks don't get fuzzy friends, and roam the utilidors, and hear the wild cheers around World Showcase every night at 9:17 right after the blam-blam-blam.
Everything that they do, and everything that you can do, is no less magical. Right where you are.
Maybe you have some DBA experience in those 26 years? Disney has some cast members, and some consultants of that variety. Last I knew, Oracle and Teradata were the flavors of the month but for a long time before that, Informix was "It". So help me Codd, the picture will change at least a few times before your 6-year mark.
They have Databased Analysts and Data Architects quarantined within at least a few buildings; I guess what you call "Data Miners" would be Analysts within the business units who write SQL statements against various marts.
Data quality analysis? Mmmm... I dunno what's going on with that.
Ten months might be a better benchmark to avoid boredom with any data analysis, i.m.h.o! Lateral reassignments within five years are almost inevitable. After six months on the job, if you nose around in a particular direction, generally the move can happen within a second 6 months. If not, best to look in other directions.
I think we're fine here. Something might be marginally useful to others interested in professional assignments at the World. Maybe some current cast member will chime in and say how it has all changed.
Wow! I was just doing a google search for info about what it is like to work for WDW IT. Not only did I find this board, but a real on topic post!
Do you know of any sites where one could talk with others who either work or have worked in WDW IT? I'm a Network engineer (mostly Cisco stuff) in an enterprise enviroment and my wife and I have talked about the thought of moving from South Florida to the Orlando area in a few years. I just thought I might as well start doing my homework now should we ever decide to make that jump. Any other information or insight anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated!
-Bill
Do you know of any sites where one could talk with others who either work or have worked in WDW IT? I'm a Network engineer (mostly Cisco stuff) in an enterprise enviroment and my wife and I have talked about the thought of moving from South Florida to the Orlando area in a few years. I just thought I might as well start doing my homework now should we ever decide to make that jump. Any other information or insight anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated!
-Bill
Just an FYI - the last time I looked to make a move in IT to Florida, I received quite a shock as far as the salary change - I work in New Jersey, across the river from Philadelphia, and have been in the business for 22 years, mostly doing database development, web development, and DBA work.
I would have had to take a $15k-$20k pay cut moving to the Orlando area.
I just checked a few web resources and it still holds true.
(payscale.com was one)
I would have had to take a $15k-$20k pay cut moving to the Orlando area.
I just checked a few web resources and it still holds true.
(payscale.com was one)
donsullivan
Premium Member
Wow! I was just doing a google search for info about what it is like to work for WDW IT. Not only did I find this board, but a real on topic post!
Do you know of any sites where one could talk with others who either work or have worked in WDW IT? I'm a Network engineer (mostly Cisco stuff) in an enterprise enviroment and my wife and I have talked about the thought of moving from South Florida to the Orlando area in a few years. I just thought I might as well start doing my homework now should we ever decide to make that jump. Any other information or insight anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated!
-Bill
Most of the network support (routers, switches, firewalls, etc..) part of Disney's IT operations were outsourced to ACS in 2005. The Disney employees where transitioned off Disney Payroll and became ACS employees when the contract was signed.
You'll regularly see postings on the Web (Dice, Monster, etc..) for IT positions with ACS with locations listed at Lake Buena Vista and Celebration which are actually on site at Disney in a wide range of different areas.
Thanks for the info. Like I said, even if we do move to that area it isn't for at least a few years (need to let the S. Florida housing market recover a little before I leave the area). It sounds as though at least a few of you are in the IT field in the Orlando area. Any other suggestions good employeers around there (if one is in the IT switching, router, firewall area).
As it stands my wife and I make it to Orlando about once every other month to unwind at WDW or Universal and from what I have seen of the area the cost of living is probably a little better than S. Florida (Ft. Lauderdale area is where I'm at). But any opinions you can give on the Orlando area (as a place to live) would be appreciated.
Thanks Joe! I myself would receive a $15-$20k increase in salary. Northern salaries are quite different from southern salaries. Since I would be moving from a small city to a large city within the south, the salary range will go up for me. It's still a few years off anyway. A lot of things can change between now and then.
SC Dizney