Record profit for Disney

[SSE]

Think so? Your number is what it was in 2007. I have two cousins and a brother who would beg to differ that have partaken in the program within the past 18 months. Try again.

I just wanted to respond about those numbers being from 2007. I did the spring advantage CP from January - August 2007. I worked custodial for half and attractions the other half. During the whole time I earned a glorious $6.67/hr. So I am willing to bet the other posters numbers are accurate for now. Of course some roles will make a little more than others.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

I don't understand why Disney doesn't stop everyone from touring people around in their parks for a profit. However, outside of Lou I would imagine that it is a bit harder to spot the tour groups.

Well it also depends on what you define as a "tour group". Many groups that come to the parks are referred to as tour groups simply because they travel together and usually all come from the same area (i.e. Brazil). Does this mean that their "tour guides" are taking them from place to place, sharing facts and trivia and pointing out hidden gems and sharing Disney heritage along the way? Not necessarily.

In fact, most of these groups, and their tour guides, do nothing more than what any other family does in the park which is go from attraction to attraction, stop to eat at some point during the day, and explore the gift shops on the way out.

Now if you're referring to "guided tour groups" which would be equivalent to what Guest Relations does, then you're referring to niche market tours that don't usually last the entire day, are for much smaller groups of people, and typically involve doing something or experiencing something the average guest would not think of or be able to experience. In this regard I feel Disney has a pretty good grip on the market, as I have personally never seen a non-Disney led guided tour group in the parks.

 

[ScoutN]

Considering that I look at such information on a daily basis, I would consider myself a little more informed on the subject than your two cousins and a brother.

I will take seeing stubs with the pay rate over your word.

I just wanted to respond about those numbers being from 2007. I did the spring advantage CP from January - August 2007. I worked custodial for half and attractions the other half. During the whole time I earned a glorious $6.67/hr. So I am willing to bet the other posters numbers are accurate for now. Of course some roles will make a little more than others.

My oldest brother was fall 2007 and made $7.85. His second time around he was $8.50. First time was Lifeguard and second was Operations.

I'm not arguing againt them being the lowest paid. I am stating that their wage is beyond fair. They are provided nice housing in the area that without Disney would cost a substantial more and the benefits are quite a bit more. It surely beats what SWP&E are currently paying their OPS employees. I will SWP&E the upper hand with entertainment wages night and day. I work Busch seasonally and have been bumped an addition $1 each year (not season).

 

[SSE]

I will take seeing stubs with the pay rate over your word.



My oldest brother was fall 2007 and made $7.85. His second time around he was $8.50. First time was Lifeguard and second was Operations.

I'm not arguing againt them being the lowest paid. I am stating that their wage is beyond fair. They are provided nice housing in the area that without Disney would cost a substantial more and the benefits are quite a bit more. It surely beats what SWP&E are currently paying their OPS employees. I will SWP&E the upper hand with entertainment wages night and day. I work Busch seasonally and have been bumped an addition $1 each year (not season).

For being a lifeguard I can see that being true, but that does seem high for operations. I am technically still seasonal and if I were to work today I wouldn't make over 8. But if your brother does that's good for him. I do think that 8.50 is still to low to pay employees though. Working at Disney can be a very thankless job.

 

[ScoutN]

For being a lifeguard I can see that being true, but that does seem high for operations. I am technically still seasonal and if I were to work today I wouldn't make over 8. But if your brother does that's good for him. I do think that 8.50 is still to low to pay employees though. Working at Disney can be a very thankless job.

When you compare the overall conditions to comparable jobs outside of the world, I would take it there. Being paid under $8 at a Best Buy or McDonald's is surely worse than making around that at Disney. None of my family who has done it has regretted it. I meant to put he was a lifeguard but apparently with a second CP you typically make higher because you are proven and during professional internships the pay is higher than that. My brother is signed up for professional internship now. I think overly minimum wage is too high for what the vast majority of jobs are attributes to the bigger problem at hand. I'm sure if CP's were paying the true rate of living accomodations they have then the pay would be severly low but the accomadations are excellent for that area and what they pay.

Point being. If you want high theme park wages, work Entertainment at SeaWorld. :drevil:

 

[wdwmagic]

Many would be amazed to know what the two sites you mentioned and other Disney sites do traffic-wise.

Email subscribers are a bad barometer (you have to look at the open rate, as many addresses are "dead"), but yeah, both sites are doing quite well. I have no first-hand knowledge of OrSen, but it probably isn't doing substantially better than either of the aforementioned Disney sites. In fact, they both might actually be doing better.

The Sentinel is usually in the top 1000 of US traffic lists. No unofficial Disney site is close to that.

 

[Kamikaze]

Many would be amazed to know what the two sites you mentioned and other Disney sites do traffic-wise.

Email subscribers are a bad barometer (you have to look at the open rate, as many addresses are "dead"), but yeah, both sites are doing quite well. I have no first-hand knowledge of OrSen, but it probably isn't doing substantially better than either of the aforementioned Disney sites. In fact, they both might actually be doing better.

alexa.com

Look it up yourself.

 

[WDWFigment]

alexa.com

Look it up yourself.

Alexa.com is not at all accurate.

Alexa rankings are based solely on users who have the Alexa toolbar installed. For incredibly popular sites, the sample size might be significant-enough to make the ranking somewhat-accurate. For any site outside of the top 1,000, it could be quite off.

 

[WDWFigment]

The Sentinel is usually in the top 1000 of US traffic lists. No unofficial Disney site is close to that.

I guess Orlando is a fairly major market, so that's not too surprising.

I'm not privy to the Sentinel's traffic numbers, but I'm still going to assume it's not 50x better than AllEars.net or Mousesavers.com in terms of unique views. I would bet it's also not 50 times better than your uniques, either (just a guess).

Given that, and that you (and the other sites mentioned) have a primed audience whereas OrSen does not (at least not to the same extent), I really can't fault Disney for treating larger fan sites as press. I would also imagine that the Disney fan sites have better Disney SEO than the Orlando Sentinel, which is an important consideration, too.

My basic point is that I think some people criticizing Disney with regard to treating fan sites as press lack an understanding of internet traffic.

 

[GLaDOS]

They are provided nice housing in the area that without Disney would cost a substantial more.

Not really. Comparable housing in the area is significantly cheaper rent wise than what it costs to live in the CP housing. The CP housing is a giant rip off.

 

[ScoutN]

Not really. Comparable housing in the area is significantly cheaper rent wise than what it costs to live in the CP housing. The CP housing is a giant rip off.

For the distance to the parks? For gated security? For the size of the kitchens and living areas? I have yet to tour one that is cheaper.

 

[ptaylor]

My basic point is that I think some people criticizing Disney with regard to treating fan sites as press lack an understanding of internet traffic.

I think the issue from people who have observed this in person is that there are sites attending events at WDW in the capacity of "press or media" that have an insignificant amount of traffic. Infact, so insignificant that they don't even register on things like Alexa. We are talking sites with what I would estimate as fewer than a 1000 page views per week. Seeing these people line up at events with point and shoot cameras alongside real professionals is very strange. Then when you see their results from the event, you wonder why Disney even bothered inviting them, and yet they do, and continue to do. The photos are terrible, the coverage is bad, and it does nothing for Disney. So many blogs and little sites are hell bent on trying to get onto the Disney event "list" so that they can have early (and free) access to events/attractions, and to feel like a celebrity. I personally watched a lot of insignificant bloggers clambering to get photos of themselves in front of the American Idol red carpet during its opening event. They were more interested in photographing themselves there than they were for taking photos of the actual event in darkness with their point and shoots. It is obviously Disney's choice and strategy at the moment, but in the vast majority of cases I think they are wasting their time and money. Goes to show though, write some reviews and trip reports, fire up word press, buddy up to some Disney social media people on twitter, and you got yourself a free entry to a very Merry Christmas Party!

 

[WDWFigment]

^I understand if you're not willing to name sites, but I would be curious to know which ones, if you are comfortable.

It's my understanding that there are objective criteria that must be satisfied in order to be treated as press/media. I wouldn't be surprised if the rules are bent for some, but I don't think there is a conspiracy or even a company policy to treat the type of sites you mentioned as press/media.

 

[JEANYLASER]

awesome!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Well it also depends on what you define as a "tour group". Many groups that come to the parks are referred to as tour groups simply because they travel together and usually all come from the same area (i.e. Brazil). Does this mean that their "tour guides" are taking them from place to place, sharing facts and trivia and pointing out hidden gems and sharing Disney heritage along the way? Not necessarily.

In fact, most of these groups, and their tour guides, do nothing more than what any other family does in the park which is go from attraction to attraction, stop to eat at some point during the day, and explore the gift shops on the way out.

Now if you're referring to "guided tour groups" which would be equivalent to what Guest Relations does, then you're referring to niche market tours that don't usually last the entire day, are for much smaller groups of people, and typically involve doing something or experiencing something the average guest would not think of or be able to experience. In this regard I feel Disney has a pretty good grip on the market, as I have personally never seen a non-Disney led guided tour group in the parks.

If I was walking around in the clothes I was wearing today while giving a tour to 4 people you likely would never find me (and neither would Disney). If I started Evan's tour guide service and walked around with a family pointing out facts, I really don't think anyone would look twice. I've done this before with friends and such when there clearly was no profit being made. However, Lou is an anomaly because of the name he has given himself with the company, which makes me believe that there is some sort of permission from the mouse involved.

 

[DisneyJoe]

However, Lou is an anomaly because of the name he has given himself with the company, which makes me believe that there is some sort of permission from the mouse involved.

I would think that Michael Hewell of Michael's VIPs and of Tour Guide Mike also has permission. His VIP Private Tour Guide service began in 1999; Disney has to be aware of him by now.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I would think that Michael Hewell of Michael's VIPs and of Tour Guide Mike also has permission. His VIP Private Tour Guide service began in 1999; Disney has to be aware of him by now.

I guess what I am saying is that they are probably aware of the companies, but perhaps not the guides. I am not overly familiar with these companies, but if Michael isn't out there touring himself, Disney might have no idea. Lou's tours feature Lou, who has made himself quite known to Disney. If Lou was just offering Tours as a company, then he hired me to give them...Disney wouldn't have a clue.

 

[JustChillinBro]

A lot of those "bloggers" are also "Disney authorized vacation planners." While each one may be relatively insignificant, the web as a whole is a vital part of Disney's overall strategy. In other words, Disney couldn't care less that their blogs are garbage, but that's not why they're important.

Watching how the blogosphere operates is interesting and it can be difficult to gauge who you can trust.

Take MouseSavers for example, which will virtually never link/mention anything that it doesn't have a direct "affiliate relationship" with. All of their links either bring in money or send you directly to their preferred "authorized Disney vacation planner." They don't necessarily recommend hotels or anything else because they're "good," but because they're profitable.

The same is true for companies like Undercover Tourist. Sure, they are a decent company with decent service, but the main pull is the fact that they're the only Disney ticket retailer on Commission Junction and pay $5.00 per order to anyone with an affiliate link. The same is true for Garden Grocer and other sites that you see "recommended" more than others. Chances are good that they have a strong affiliate program and pay for the mouth service.

The same is true for most of the other major sites. They pimp products that pay them and virtually never mention what may be a superior service/company if they don't pay. And the same is true outside of the Disney blogosphere as well. It's not like they operate differently than other markets.

From there it's difficult to gauge the motivations of some of the sites. Take for example, which seems like it's little more than a mouthpiece for the major area theme parks. You'll virtually never hear a negative word about anything even for events that by all accounts sucked. That "Room For 1 More" event is a good example. Ricky's review was nothing but glowing for an event that was quite poor. Certainly, he is a perfectly nice guy, but it's hard to look past all of those "articles" that basically read like press releases.

DisneyFoodBlog.com is another one that is overwhelmingly positive (as well as popular). They also take money and pimp products. The Waldorf Astoria/Swan/Dolphin/Raglan Road are all major sponsors, which is why you see the various advertisements thinly veiled as "just another blog post."

Those are just two examples of some of the more popular websites/blogs. They are all virtually the same though.

 

[JustChillinBro]

A lot of those "bloggers" are also "Disney authorized vacation planners." While each one may be relatively insignificant, the web as a whole is a vital part of Disney's overall strategy. In other words, Disney couldn't care less that their blogs are garbage, but that's not why they're important.

Watching how the blogosphere operates is interesting and it can be difficult to gauge who you can trust.

Take MouseSavers for example, which will virtually never link/mention anything that it doesn't have a direct "affiliate relationship" with. All of their links either bring in money or send you directly to their preferred "authorized Disney vacation planner." They don't necessarily recommend hotels or anything else because they're "good," but because they're profitable.

The same is true for companies like Undercover Tourist. Sure, they are a decent company with decent service, but the main pull is the fact that they're the only Disney ticket retailer on Commission Junction and pay $5.00 per order to anyone with an affiliate link. The same is true for Garden Grocer and other sites that you see "recommended" more than others. Chances are good that they have a strong affiliate program and pay for the mouth service.

The same is true for most of the other major sites. They pimp products that pay them and virtually never mention what may be a superior service/company if they don't pay. And the same is true outside of the Disney blogosphere as well. It's not like they operate differently than other markets.

From there it's difficult to gauge the motivations of some of the sites. Take for example, which seems like it's little more than a mouthpiece for the major area theme parks. You'll virtually never hear a negative word about anything even for events that by all accounts sucked. That "Room For 1 More" event is a good example. Ricky's review was nothing but glowing for an event that was quite poor. Certainly, he is a perfectly nice guy, but it's hard to look past all of those "articles" that basically read like press releases.

DisneyFoodBlog.com is another one that is overwhelmingly positive (as well as popular). They also take money and pimp products. The Walforf Astoria/Swan/Dolphin/Raglan Road are all major sponsors, which is why you see the various advertisements thinly veiled as "just another blog post."

Those are just two examples of some of the more popular websites/blogs. They are all virtually the same though.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

I meant to put he was a lifeguard but apparently with a second CP you typically make higher because you are proven

Nope. Rate increased due to change of contract. It's still lower than full-time, however. Pay IS based on roles, so yes, it is conceivable that a lifeguard CP will make that much but lifeguard CPs are the highest-paid of all CPs and still make less than full-time life guards. There are even higher-paid entry-level positions for full-timers, like bus drivers, that CP's do not have access to.

The point is, that no matter WHAT role a CP performs, they will ALWAYS be paid lower than the base starting rate for a full-time, part-time, or seasonal cast member in the same role.

For the record, I was a CP three times, and I am now full-time with Disney, so don't think I'm knocking the program. I'm just correcting you on how woefully misinformed on the overall pay differential between full-time Cast Members and CP Cast Members you are.

and during professional internships the pay is higher than that.

Yes, this is because they are either paid hourly and live in the same housing complexes as the CP's (usually in a block that's reserved for the PI's) but pay significantly more on a weekly basis for rent to compensate, so their percentage of disposable income is pretty much the same. For the salaried professional internships (e.g., management), which I myself have done, housing is not provided and you are paid lower than the full-time salaried cast members, even ones that are only on temporary assignments.

The college program and professional internship programs are a great way to getting your foot in the door with Disney, but anyone who goes into it or is an outsider saying they pay a decent wage is deluding themselves. Hell, even front-line full-time pay at Disney is hardly glamorous. You don't start making a decent living wage until you get into an entertainment tech role, a non-union hourly role or leadership.