Question for WDW Cast Member...Help!!

[DisneyMedic]

Are there any Cast Members out there that can help me out. I am comming out to Orlando in Sept to Look for an Apt and apply for a job at WDW. I am interested in two areas. I would at some point love to work as a Monorail Pilot. Anyone know how you apply for this. Do you have to work in a certain area of the park first, or have alot of years in??

The main attraction I would love to work is The Great Movie Ride. It really has my name written all over it. I talked with the casting office when I was there in March and they told me that I can request a certain attraction and if there are no current openings I could go on a wait list. Is this true??

If I had my choice I would like to work the Monorail first and the GRM second. What are my chances at either? Any Advice? I am also interested in a few other attractions but those are the two I would enjoy and stay at the most. I have experiance in Mass transit but do not really want to be a bus driver.

If any Cast members out there can give me some info I would really like to hear about it. Any suggestions would be great.


Thanks

 

[Soarinluvr]

hey the best thing to do is to go to Casting (make an appointment first). When you go there they will ask you what area your looking to get into. You can tell them you would like to go into either Monorails or Attractions. Then You fill out an application and in attractions they give u a list of different areas to choose from and what attractions are there. You put the areas in order you wanna work them like GMR area you would put first. But because of need they may put u in one of the attractions in that area and you can be trained for the ride later on. But if they dont need anyone in that area then they would go down your list of choices. Hope that helps. Good luck.

 

[Number_6]

Go to this site: http://www.disney.go.com/DisneyCareers/wdwcareers/

Call the phone number for the Job Line in order to set up your appointment. As far as what job you get, it all depends on what they have openings for. They need to actually be hiring for Transportation(Monorail) or for Attractions. Then they actually have to be hiring to fill positions specifically of Monorail Pilot or Great Movie Ride. There is no guarantee that they will be filling those positions when you go, so be prepared to not get what you really want most, because it's really partly luck and partly the recruiter you talk to.

 

[AliceFan]

You can apply at the casting center which is across from Downtown Disney. I would sugguest that you get there in the morning. (Also bear in mind that the process takes around 4 hours.) You can request to work in a certain park and a certain area. The best way to do this is to tell who ever interviews you exactly why you want to work in those areas. I do know that they are hiring tons and tons of people right now, so you shouldn't have a problem getting a job, but getting the area you want, may be a problem. There are certain areas right now that are in desprate need of people and so new hire's are getting put in those area's. I am not quiet sure if they are hiring for Great Movie Ride or The Monrails. But good luck!

 

[DisneyMedic]

Thanks Gang.. Please keep the info comming. I am going to be there on the 17th of Sept. I am pretty open to different areas but I would really really like to work the two that i stated above. Thanks for the feed back and if anyone hears of anything that would help Please pass it on..

Thanks Again

 

[Brian_B]

Glad to know GMR is in your top 2...
you'll love being a movie rider, it's a lot of fun

(one of the best jobs imho!! )

-Brian

 

[coastermaster83]

hey what does disney pay for jobs like disneymedic is asking about... i know here in tampa buschgardens doesnt pay worth a lick for there people unless your something strange like a cook or a dishwasher yeah those pay 8 -9 bucks a hour lol.

 

[wickedqueen]

Coastermaster, very few CMs are at WDW for the money. Busch Gardens typically has BETTER starting pay rates in most areas. But Disney is wonderful in other respects. Disneymedic, I would advise you only to accept employment in your desired area...frequently casting will offer a job in a less desirable location because of greater need there, but it can be difficult to transfer areas once you are employed. Tell your recruiter what you want and be determined! Good luck!

 

[mousermerf]

I thought you needed X number of years in transportation before you got to be a monorail pilot, or is this some rumor that I picked up ages ago, like a bad case of the harry potters?

 

[DisneyMedic]

Wickedqueen,

Are you a cast member? Can you say where you work with out getting into trouble?

Is it true that if you are set on a certain area and they like you they will put you on a waiting list and when a spot opens up its yours?? Or do you just have to walk into the casting center at the right time and hope you get lucky???

 

[mousermerf]

They hire all the "little" roles immediately based on availability. I've only heard of return calls for bigger roles. I think it's a chance of it being open when you apply.

Other attractions really aren't so bad, just avoid an area you know you'll hate - everyone has one.

 

[TownSquareSteve]

One of the first things I know is that becoming a monorail pilot is a pretty tough role to land, not because of what you have to know, but because there really isn't a whole lot of turnover up there. Most of the CM's have been at Disney for a while, so it could be tough to find an opening. With GMR having a big CP crew and a lot of full timers as well, you have to put on a pretty good show while you are in your casting call to get hired on there. I have hints for you, first study those attractions, know the ins and outs of those attractions like they were the back of your hand, next talk like a CM (examples: guests not customers, role not job/position, cast member not employee, put guests first in everything you do, etc), talk about how you want to grow with those roles and how you want to use them to expand your knowledge of the company and to move up in the company. Come with stories to share, we tell a story here, if you do not have any good stories to tell the recruiter about why you are good in say a diverse situation or why you are responsible, then they might look else where. This is really important for GMR because if you can't tell a story to one recruiter how can you be counted on to tell a story about the movie greats to guests from all around the world? Come in looking like you have the job, dress professional, have the disney look (clean cut, limited jewelry, etc) and dazzle them from there. If you really want to increase your chances you will see if you can meet with a manager(s) from within those areas before have your interview, if you get a few of them on your side prior to your interview, they can comment on what type of answers you should give, how to respond to situations and maybe even put in a good word for you. Now there is now guarentee that you can meet with any managers, but if somehow you can pull it off it would be to your benefit. As CM's can attest to in this company it's not what you know but who you know. Follow these steps and I look forward to you joining our team down here at WDW real soon!!! Good Luck, and if you need some further advise I'll try and check back to this board again soon!!!

Steve

 

[DisneyMedic]

Town Square Steve,

Thanks so much for your input. It really helps. I have already done alot of what you had said. I do know the attraction very well. I have most of the spiel memorized. One of the things I love about the attraction is the CM's Make the attraction work. I have watch several different CM's do there thing and have noted how some are more into it then others. Or if someone is having an off day.

I plan on staking out the attraction multiple times before the day I go to interview. I have a very quick wit and tend to come up with things very quickly and be able to stay in the role.

If you think of anything else that would help me please feel free to clue me in. I really thank all of you for your Insite. Keep the info comming. Thanks Again

 

[darthdarrel]

I thought you needed X number of years in transportation before you got to be a monorail pilot, or is this some rumor that I picked up ages ago, like a bad case of the harry potters?

Tyler would know more about that as he is a bus driver for Disney and was a monorail driver.

 

[wickedqueen]

Disneymedic,


Yes, I am a CM in entertainment, and due to recent "reshuffling" at the corporate level we are now closely linked to attractions....like the GMR...I believe it is one of the only attractions with a waitlist, so you may not be offered a position there right off the bat. I don't want to discourage you from taking a different position and then transferring, because I do know people who have been able to do thar, but I also know people who have fallen through the cracks and ended up sucked into roles they weren't really passionate about. I agree with the other comments about the monorail, I believe you would probably need to work your way up through the rank in transportation, which could take a while, but also prove very rewarding. The bottom line is that if you show the qualities that Disney wants to keep and promote within the company, and show determination to meet your goals, you will be sucessfull and acheive what you want to do here. I know it's been great for me!

 

[DisneyMedic]

Thanks Wickedqueen,

Your thoughts are very much taken to heart. Few other questions if you do not mind me picking yours and the other Cm's here. I am also interested in the Jugle Cruse. Is that another wait list attration? If I was asked to give a second choice I would say this. I am just taylor made to interact with the public. I seem to have a nack for it and want to move into a role that I can enjoy and make the guest enjoy as well. I feel the GMR and the Jungle Cruse both have the same type of aspects that make the attraction...The Cast Members!! If you get a good Skipper then it is an awasome cruse. If you get a good guide on the GRM it is alot of fun and you are able to pull the gust into the experience. Any thoughts here.

Also if you don't mind me asking you and the others here... Where is the best place to look for an apartment. I am single and not lookingto do the roomate thing. I am looking for a rent in the range of $500-$600. Since I will just be working at Disney full time for the first six months or so I have to be able to live on the low wage. Any thoughts as to where I should look?? I have looked on line and found some low income housing places in the area but are they slums or section 8 housing??

I am just looking for a place that is safe,semi quiet and where I do not have to commute. Any thoughts on this one gang???

Again thanks for all your input I really am taking it to heart and really can't wait to maybe meet some of you on stage..(grin)

 

[darthdarrel]

Thanks Wickedqueen,

Your thoughts are very much taken to heart. Few other questions if you do not mind me picking yours and the other Cm's here. I am also interested in the Jugle Cruse. Is that another wait list attration? If I was asked to give a second choice I would say this. I am just taylor made to interact with the public. I seem to have a nack for it and want to move into a role that I can enjoy and make the guest enjoy as well. I feel the GMR and the Jungle Cruse both have the same type of aspects that make the attraction...The Cast Members!! If you get a good Skipper then it is an awasome cruse. If you get a good guideon the GRM it is alot of fun and you are able to plull the gust into the experience. Any thoughts here.

Also if you don't mind me asking you and the others here... Where is the best place to look for an apartment. I am single and not lookingto do the roomate thing. I am looking for a rent in the range of $500-$600. Since I will just be working at Disney full time for the first six months or so I have to be able to live on the low wage. Any thoughts as to where I should look?? I have looked on line and found some low income housing places in the area but are they slums or section 8 housing??

I am just looking for a pplace that is safe,semi quiet and where I do not have to commute. Any thoughts on this one gang???

Again thanks for all your input I really am taking it to heart and really can't wait to maybe meet some of you on stage..(grin)

Are you sure you are going to get full time?
I was told that there are very few full time positions, I could be wrong, but I have a friend who used to work for Disney and he says that the only full time positions are managerial.

 

[mkt]

there are hourly full time, but they try to fill more PT and Seasonal ones first.

 

[mousermerf]

It's hard to get hired full time into attractions - most people start as part-time and then get "promoted." The area has a very higher turn-over for its training period (most people quit before they technically "start") and a full-time person is a conisderable investment (part-timers get paid less, don't have benefits, etc..)

 

[bgraham34]

Sorry to bud in but I am not looking for a job but i am enjoying reading all this. Its exciting. Good Luck to you.