Memorial Day Kicking off the Unofficial Beginning of Summer

[MKCP 1985]

Just a note of remembrance for the MKCP summer class of 1985 - 25 years ago this weekend. Disney had all 400 of us report on June 1 for two days of training, followed by assignments into our positions in either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot Center. We were paid minimum wage of $3.35 per hour for the two days of training and then we got a bump up to $4.00 per hour for the rest of the summer! :lol:

The summer nights at the Magic Kingdom saw park hours of 9 am until 1:00 a.m. most every night all summer long. Popcorn was .85 cents per box, and there were no napkins or drinks on the wagons.

Counter service restaurants served paper straws with no lids! :lol: The Emporium had VHS tapes of Disney classic movies such as The Swiss Family Robinson or Ole Yeller for sale, at a list price near $100.00! (they hadn't quite figured out pricing for VHS movie sales back then - video rentals were just getting started, really)

On our days off, we regularly hung out at the Polynesian pool, and the cast members welcomed us there. :king:

So, here's to everyone working or playing at Walt Disney World today, and all summer long :wave: And here's a shout out to the class of 1985, celebrating the silver anniversary of their summer of working for the mouse. :king:

 

[AREM]

Just a note of remembrance for the MKCP summer class of 1985 - 25 years ago this weekend. Disney had all 400 of us report on June 1 for two days of training, followed by assignments into our positions in either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot Center. We were paid minimum wage of $3.35 per hour for the two days of training and then we got a bump up to $4.00 per hour for the rest of the summer! :lol:

The summer nights at the Magic Kingdom saw park hours of 9 am until 1:00 a.m. most every night all summer long. Popcorn was .85 cents per box, and there were no napkins or drinks on the wagons.

Counter service restaurants served paper straws with no lids! :lol: The Emporium had VHS tapes of Disney classic movies such as The Swiss Family Robinson or Ole Yeller for sale, at a list price near $100.00! (they hadn't quite figured out pricing for VHS movie sales back then - video rentals were just getting started, really)

On our days off, we regularly hung out at the Polynesian pool, and the cast members welcomed us there. :king:

So, here's to everyone working or playing at Walt Disney World today, and all summer long :wave: And here's a shout out to the class of 1985, celebrating the silver anniversary of their summer of working for the mouse. :king:

Wow, you came long before my time as a Kingdom Kid! I work at Casey's Corner, and I am having the time of my life over there.

We actually were quite slow and dead at MK today. I was scheduled till 11pm, and they asked me at 523pm if I wanted to go home early! 0_o They sent like 7 people home. We were so dead today......

It was amazing CM's like you that paved the way for young, wide eyed Pixie Dusters like myself lol

 

[Wilt Dasney]

The Emporium had VHS tapes of Disney classic movies such as The Swiss Family Robinson or Ole Yeller for sale, at a list price near $100.00! (they hadn't quite figured out pricing for VHS movie sales back then - video rentals were just getting started, really)

That's incredible. The thought process must have been something along the lines of movies costing $3 in the theater, with tapes offering potentially limitless opportunities for rewatching...so if you watched Ole Yeller more than 33 times, you were coming out ahead. :lol:

That really is pretty funny...and a nice bit of nostalgia to read your post. In 17 years, I'll be able to mark the silver anniversary of my own CP.

 

[LoriMistress]

Wow, you came long before my time as a Kingdom Kid! I work at Casey's Corner, and I am having the time of my life over there.

We actually were quite slow and dead at MK today. I was scheduled till 11pm, and they asked me at 523pm if I wanted to go home early! 0_o They sent like 7 people home. We were so dead today......

It was amazing CM's like you that paved the way for young, wide eyed Pixie Dusters like myself lol

You're working at Casey's Corner now? That's pretty cool! I'm surprised that MK was dead today, considering it's a holiday.


MKCP 1985, thanks for sharing your memories of working at MK. I remember being at DLR in '85 and I still remember some of the pricing (ex: 85 cents for popcorn). Time has changed.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Wow, you came long before my time as a Kingdom Kid! I work at Casey's Corner, and I am having the time of my life over there.

. . .

It was amazing CM's like you that paved the way for young, wide eyed Pixie Dusters like myself lol

I started out at Casey's Corner (Coke Corner back there - no baseball theme), and cooked and sold so many hot dogs that I didn't eat a hot dog for a year after I left! :lol: There was a girl there who would snag a hot dog during the running of the Main Street Electrical Parade and eat the whole thing in less than 5 seconds. (yes, that will get you fired if you get caught - she never was). There was another guy who always wanted to take out the spoils at the end of the night . . . a little too obvious. He was caught eating hot dogs out by the dumpster so we were told. All I know is we never saw him again. :lookaroun

After the hot dog restaurant, I rotated over to the Ice Cream shop across the street and then into outdoor foods. Somehow, I got put into outdoor foods after only a day or two of making ice cream cones and never had to go back. Outdoor foods was my favorite because I liked being outside.

Glad to see you carrying on the fine tradition, making the magic!