Originally posted by 919Florida
...I want to give back some of the magic I have received to the guest... over 2,700 different classifications...
You've struck on a key there... a desire to 'share magical moments' with guests (or to support that magic behind the scenes) is a key to finding and succeeding in WDW role. It's also useful to have some part time experience elsewhere... a fast food job, delivering papers, whatever. If in that experience you've stayed with it, been reliable (not too many late/call-in days), and learned something about working on a team, that's going to help.
Of course, get that H.S. diploma if you can... and if at all possible get into college and the
WDWCP .
Now let's say that through the college program or Casting Center you get to WDW and your entry-level role is in foods. For the first couple of months, the extent of your guest interaction might be the five seconds you have when handing over a tray of burgers/fries... you might be in a position where you can't stop too long because other guests are waiting. So where's the magic there? Well... 1) Right then, the guest just wants to get that tray, sit down with their family and enjoy a meal. You make that happen. 2) At the same time, your smile and just a few words... stemming from a sincere desire for those guests to have a great vacation... will in fact make a little difference for many guests. 3) Multiply that by the number of cast members the guest will see that day.
Also, take into account that regardless of where you start, there will be variety, and you'll benefit from being flexible and a team player. You'll have chances to work different places within a location (e.g. work register in a shop for a few weeks... different registers within the shop, different shifts. Then you might be asked to floor stock, or control stock.) You'll learn several facets of a location, then find opportunities to move to similar locations. Maybe within the first year, your great attitude and professional approach to your role is recognized... and you'll attend 'Disney Trainers' class. After that, some days you'll be doing training, so there's
more variety.
Keys to success are really, really simple: being good to your guests, helpful and supportive of your fellow cast members, enjoying whatever you're doing, and being reliable in terms of attendance.
About those 2700 classifications. Your most likely route through the door will take you into an operational role in Foods (most likely outdoor foods or quick service), Merchandise, Custodial or Attractions. Then you have location to consider. Often, most entry-level Merchandise roles would be in the parks... but maybe there's an opening in a Resort shop. Should you go for it? At a Resort, you're likely to find a pace that allows more guest interaction. If that's really critical to your job satisfaction, maybe you should seek that out. Then again, if you start in a park and keep you eyes out for postings, you can start looking for resort opportunities internally after 6 months.
If you have a particular skill/experience, you might want to look into some of the 2695 other classifications. Again, you could do that before or after 'joining the show'.
Best of luck!
