News Josh D’Amaro Invests in Cast Members

[Indy_UK]

I understand the sentiment, but let me tell you... a lot of the people who go out of their way to do the CP or an ICP are some of the biggest Disney fans who so desperately want to be part of the magic.

I participated in the summer program as an international participant, and I did not meet one person who did not live and breath Disney either in the residence or in the parks whom I worked with. Where as all the full-timers I worked with were quite the opposite...

I also did the international program in Epcot back in 2009 for the year. Greatest time of my life but from a guest perspective, you can tell it’s a conveyer of cast members.

I’m not saying scrap the schemes as I think they’re great but either reduce the number and replace with full time cast or extend the length of time on contracts which I doubt will happen

 

[Lilofan]

I also did the international program in Epcot back in 2009 for the year. Greatest time of my life but from a guest perspective, you can tell it’s a conveyer of cast members.

I’m not saying scrap the schemes as I think they’re great but either reduce the number and replace with full time cast or extend the length of time on contracts which I doubt will happen

WDW College Program is a good money maker for Disney. Pay the CMs to work and charge them rent to live in nearby Disney housing. I heard WDW is even expanding and building more college program housing in the WDW area.

 

[Heppenheimer]

WDW College Program is a good money maker for Disney. Pay the CMs to work and charge them rent to live in nearby Disney housing. I heard WDW is even expanding and building more college program housing in the WDW area.

Way back in my university days, that's one of the primary reasons I didn't pursue the College Program. It would not have netted me nearly enough money to justify it.

 

[Thelazer]

He should go see some of the cast bathrooms while he's at it.

 

[Rteetz]

Everything I have heard is Josh is doing a lot of good so far. Obviously he can only work so fast. He isn't Chapek or Iger. I think its very beneficial that he is out in the parks all the time seeing what is happening and interacting with guests and cast. You would never see Kalogridis out and about.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

If what the article says is true about asking the CMs their opinions and actually listening being carried through to his management style from his early Disney work experience, I'm very hopeful. I've had 2 bosses that were like that (one was after a company buy-out), and they were wonderful. Granted, my pay still wasn't the best (but was also far from the worst), but it made going to work so much more enjoyable and greatly enhanced team spirit and morale.

 

[WDW862]

Of course I do! Once every six months I come out of my cave and let the Cast Members pose for a picture with yours truly. They love me!

Hey Bob, can you fix the A/C in some of the breakrooms?

 

[WDWTrojan]

While much of this sounds like it is being done out of the goodness of their heart, there is always a business decision behind it. Offering healthier food at a cheaper price is lovely but is also a good way to encourage a healthier lifestyle, thereby ideally saving the company on health insurance premiums. All goes back to.

 

[Touchdown]

While much of this sounds like it is being done out of the goodness of their heart, there is always a business decision behind it. Offering healthier food at a cheaper price is lovely but is also a good way to encourage a healthier lifestyle, thereby ideally saving the company on health insurance premiums. All goes back to.

You know that sometimes everyone wins.

 

[FigmentForver96]

While much of this sounds like it is being done out of the goodness of their heart, there is always a business decision behind it. Offering healthier food at a cheaper price is lovely but is also a good way to encourage a healthier lifestyle, thereby ideally saving the company on health insurance premiums. All goes back to.

Yea well sometimes good actions will reap good benefits. As someone who works in HR, there is a multitude of reasons why taking care of ones team can benefit the store and the guest, however at the forefront is the knowledge that it makes the team happy and feel content when coming to work. When you strike that balance then you know you are doing well.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

I’m not saying scrap the schemes as I think they’re great but either reduce the number and replace with full time cast or extend the length of time on contracts which I doubt will happen

I mean, the constant turnover and training costs can't be offset by the lower wages and lack of benefits. It's a massive operation just getting them all in and trained and every trainer both in a classroom setting and in on-the-job training is making a premium, usually for days at a time. Somehow, somewhere, they've managed to find a cost savings in it which can be the only reason it's lasted as long as it has. I'm a former CP myself and also worked full time for the company for 8 years. While some people call the CP cheap labor, you'd honestly have to work in finance to figure out how that program is anything but cheap for Disney.

 

[Lilofan]

I mean, the constant turnover and training costs can't be offset by the lower wages and lack of benefits. It's a massive operation just getting them all in and trained and every trainer both in a classroom setting and in on-the-job training is making a premium, usually for days at a time. Somehow, somewhere, they've managed to find a cost savings in it which can be the only reason it's lasted as long as it has. I'm a former CP myself and also worked full time for the company for 8 years. While some people call the CP cheap labor, you'd honestly have to work in finance to figure out how that program is anything but cheap for Disney.

I remember reading during the big 2009 WDW layoffs that in addition to people losing their jobs that training was impacted and restructured too?

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I mean, the constant turnover and training costs can't be offset by the lower wages and lack of benefits. It's a massive operation just getting them all in and trained and every trainer both in a classroom setting and in on-the-job training is making a premium, usually for days at a time. Somehow, somewhere, they've managed to find a cost savings in it which can be the only reason it's lasted as long as it has. I'm a former CP myself and also worked full time for the company for 8 years. While some people call the CP cheap labor, you'd honestly have to work in finance to figure out how that program is anything but cheap for Disney.

I was once told by one of my bosses that it costs $20,000 just to train a cashier - and that was in the early 2000s. (We were talking about how hard it is to find good employees.)

 

[WDW Pro]

There’s certainly a lot of work to be done it seems. I wish him the best.

Spot on, Marti. Many at WDW feel they've been bankrolling Disney Parks - and the company in general - while only receiving investment recently. The monorails are running on duct tape and bubble gum (not sure this is even an idiom). Many of the refurbishments have been downgraded in the past few months.

Disney World is Walt's mangum opus, the absolute behemoth crown jewel in Disney's real estate portfolio. Top brass would do well to remember that. Anywhere in the parks you can ask British tourists why they're in Orlando and not in Paris. "There's nowhere else like Disney World," tends to be the answer.

 

[Lilofan]

Spot on, Marti. Many at WDW feel they've been bankrolling Disney Parks - and the company in general - while only receiving investment recently. The monorails are running on duct tape and bubble gum (not sure this is even an idiom). Many of the refurbishments have been downgraded in the past few months.

Disney World is Walt's mangum opus, the absolute behemoth crown jewel in Disney's real estate portfolio. Top brass would do well to remember that. Anywhere in the parks you can ask British tourists why they're in Orlando and not in Paris. "There's nowhere else like Disney World," tends to be the answer.

I'm the same way, I have blinders eyes and just in awe of being at WDW. Some point out of the nasty chewing gum stuck all over in the walking areas of the park but I'm still in awe.

 

[Indy_UK]

I mean, the constant turnover and training costs can't be offset by the lower wages and lack of benefits. It's a massive operation just getting them all in and trained and every trainer both in a classroom setting and in on-the-job training is making a premium, usually for days at a time. Somehow, somewhere, they've managed to find a cost savings in it which can be the only reason it's lasted as long as it has. I'm a former CP myself and also worked full time for the company for 8 years. While some people call the CP cheap labor, you'd honestly have to work in finance to figure out how that program is anything but cheap for Disney.

For the international program we had to pay everything. Flights to and from Orlando, Visas and upfront rent for Patterson Square apartment. Unless you were in a tipped position, after the $100 a week they were charging, we weren’t left with a lot

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm the same way, I have blinders eyes and just in awe of being at WDW. Some point out of the nasty chewing gum stuck all over in the walking areas of the park but I'm still in awe.

It’s still much better than California, I see a lot more graffiti in the parks there. Although it’s sad to see it anywhere on property

 

[Lilofan]

It’s still much better than California, I see a lot more graffiti in the parks there. Although it’s sad to see it anywhere on property

I sometimes wonder since the cleanliness is worse in CA theme parks, that is where the much herald Josh came from..

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Wow! Josh seems like a great guy! Can he replace Bob Chapek as the Parks Chairman?