Trending blog post: "What it's really like working at Walt Disney World"

[FoozieBear]

It's sad to see that so many current and previous cast members are all claiming that this article is accurate for the most part.

I haven't worked at Disney to confirm or deny if it is accurate, but I can say he is 100% spot-on with his comments about FastPass+. That system screws up everything, for guests and cast members.

He remains accurate on the fact of the disappearing tiny things that made Disney World special, and the Epcot pavilions.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Or this guy, if he actually did work at WDW, thought working there was going to be like visiting the parks when working at WDW is actually a real job that requires actual work.

There is very little embellishing in this article and CMs are all saying its pretty accurate. Yes, it is all negative, but are plenty of articles and blogs and whatever else out there that cover the positive aspects of working at WDW.

After reading things like cast members being spit on, punched, threatened, only to have your management team reward the guests responsible, some of you still want to blame the attitude on their work ethic?

 

[kels650]

Reading this makes me wonder what it was like for cast members when Walt was alive and in the time period immediately following his death.
It is very sad to hear how they treat their employees when they are often the magic themselves. I cannot express how much my niece LOVED seeing so many people call her princess and be so friendly and smile so much. The magic alone those cast members created with the small talk, smiles, and calling her princess was more than enough to call her vacation amazing.

 

[Marc Gil]

It's a job. Just because you're working at WDW doesn't mean that it's going to be glitzy and exciting all the time.

You chose to be a CM, you agreed to the low-wages and high hours.

Do you expect management to continuously kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star every time for dealing with difficult guests.

Wake up sweetheart, it's called life, and you have to deal with it.

 

[Tom Morrow]

haha, here we go.

 

[Fishbait]

It's a job. Just because you're working at WDW doesn't mean that it's going to be glitzy and exciting all the time.

You chose to be a CM, you agreed to the low-wages and high hours.

Do you expect management to continuously kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star every time for dealing with difficult guests.

Wake up sweetheart, it's called life, and you have to deal with it.

A job is a job. Wages and hours, to be expected. That is a part of life. Though many employers would do well to learn you get what you pay for.

But I disagree with the management part. Managers can go a long ways in employee satisfaction. Making employees feel like what they do matters and that they are valued generates better job satisfaction and a better product. I am not saying to kiss your employees rear end, but treating them as if they have value and are worthy of respect is important and costs little.

 

[stevehousse]

I'm shocked by the comments on here suggesting it's the bloggers fault for taking a paying job. Wipe the pixie dust from your eyes people! It's probably you who this worker is referring to seeing what some of you have been posting. Disgusting...

 

[draybook]

Didn't take long for pixie snorters to come to the rescue.....

And yes, Disney can and SHOULD be held responsible for the entitlement attitude that guests have. Who do you think is the one that enables the guests to behave as they do? It sure as hell isn't other guests, it's the company that turns a blind eye in favor of pocketing that guests' money.

Need a hint? It starts with Dis and ends with ney.......

 

[LSUxStitch]

I just wanted to jump back in here and say that my time with the Company was awesome and I probably would go back to work again, maybe even be custodial after retirement haha.

My managers (in MOST locations) at EPCOT were excellent.


This blog is mostly a rant about the negatives about the job (even though most are true), but I'm sure not EVERY day sucked for this guy.

 

[DisneyJoe]

My son was a College Program participant in the Spring of 2012, and he loved it, so much so that he wants to return.

He did have some complaints, but they were the same complaints that I am now hearing at his local job here at home.

 

[Marc Gil]

Hey you live and you learn.

That's what life's about.

A job is a job! It could get repetitious, people can be cruel, and management can't be a b****.

When you apply to be a CM, you need to have appropriate expectations, and accept the fact that you're working as an employee not a guest. And when the job's harsh, there's no need to whine and moan. Either you quit or you deal with it!

 

[Tom Morrow]

Yes. It's hilarious that anyone could read about CMs attacked, threatened, assaulted, just for doing what management has asked them to do, only for management to do a 180 and scold them for doing it and reward said guests, and blame the cynical attitude on poor work ethic.

 

[Phonedave]

Anyone who has done any sort of customer facing work can tell stories of how people behave. The fact is in WDW you are going to interact with a lot MORE people, so you are going to have MORE stories.

Customer facing jobs are hard - but that is life. I worked in a grocery store for 10 years, I could tell many of the same type of stories as this guy. Entitlement stories, poor management stories, blatant sexism and racism by management to both employees and customers. I'll conceived management policies to save money. It happens in any large business. WDW is nothing special.

And the blogger really should take some time to check his spelling and grammar. If he is going to post a rant such as his, that you are hoping will get widespread exposure, he should write it, set it aside for a day, and then re-read it. Kind of like not planning on handing in a paper that your entire passing grade depends on an hour before it is due.

-dave

 

[Marc Gil]

I am not a "pixie duster" and I agree that management can be wrong at times, but honestly, it's like any other job.

Set your expectations appropriately!

If you're in the Hospitality field, like me, you must know that the golden rule is that "The Customer is ALWAYS right", no questions.

It's a business. Like any other business, the only thing they honestly care about is revenue. If the guests aren't happy, then there's no $$$.

 

[kels650]

It's a job. Just because you're working at WDW doesn't mean that it's going to be glitzy and exciting all the time.

You chose to be a CM, you agreed to the low-wages and high hours.

Do you expect management to continuously kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star every time for dealing with difficult guests.

Wake up sweetheart, it's called life, and you have to deal with it.

Low wages and high hours: Sure, that can be expected to a point. But people being homeless, unable to eat, unable to pay rent, not being able to get gas.... all while logging OT? That's dramatic and should never be acceptable. and that does not mean these people should be making crazy amounts either - but with that much time and dedication they do deserve to afford at the very least the basics of life without significant struggle.

I did not get the sense that anyone was asking for a gold star or praise for dealing with difficult guests. What I got was that managers were rewarding dangerous and absolutely disgusting behavior by the guests toward their employees, while in some cases, punishing said employee for attempting to hold up park rules and maintain a sense of safety. The customer is NOT always right. Abusive and disruptive behavior by guests toward another individual, including cast members, is never acceptable. No one needs a gold star for dealing with it, as it is a reality of customer service, but those cast members do need the support of their managers in enforcing the rules and not perpetuating this type of appalling and potentially dangerous behavior. A company should always support their employees, especially when dealing with out of control behavior from guests.

Dealing with life and all the crap that goes with it is definitely something most people seem to believe is above them. Which is probably part of the reason the author did not quit the job right away, they took on the adventure. But some of company's actions toward their front line employees is not acceptable and should not just be stated as, that's life, deal with it. It is people with an attitude like yours that allow already ridiculously rich companies to continue to abuse middle and lower class employees to the point of being unable to provide simple life essentials to their families - food and a place to live. It is not like these people are complaining they couldn't take a $7,000 vacation. They couldn't afford gas to get to work, or even eat regular meals all the of the time.

Saying it's a choice only goes so far. I would not be surprised to find out that at this time a significant portion of those people that would want another job have not been able to find another place to work and going through this struggle for a little of something is better than having absolutely nothing. That still does not make it okay for anyone to tell them, that's life, deal with it. Poverty is one issue, but below the poverty line while logging 50+hrs a week - that's a completely different issue. These are hard working individuals and there is nothing to suggest that life mistakes or poor choices have anything to do with the reason they are in their situation. Their situation is created by their employer - and to be honest Disney could afford to pay them enough so that they can eat, pay rent and get gas, at the very least.

 

[thelookingglass]

Also I don't know if this blog article should be featured here do to its abundance of vulgar language.

We're all adults here, it's nothing worse than you see on TV or anywhere else. Or should we white-wash this site because its about Disney?

And I think it should be here, maybe people will think twice before complaining about / berating a CM who is performing less than 100%, or doing something they don't agree with because it's very likely they're only doing what management has asked them to do.

And, above all else, show appreciation for the CM's that still go out of their way to make it special, as they are doing it purely out of their own love for WDW.

 

[Marc Gil]

Also scratch what I said earlier about either quitting or dealing with it.

If you're really unhappy, speak out, talk to your supervisors, email some company heads, BE PROACTIVE, SPEAK OUT, don't just whine on Tumblr. Chances are low that anything will happen, but at least you can say you tried to do something about your unhappy working experience.

I'm sorry, but I just hate people who whine and moan and groan and don't do anything about it.

Also, don't call me a "pixie snorter" etc, you have no idea who I am, and you have no right to put a label on me.

Actually, do whatever you want, I honestly don't care.

This is a forum, and we're supposed to have discussions and rebuttals.

 

[JIMINYCR]

This article doesnt surprise me. Every job has it's negative parts one has to decide to live with or leave. I sent it to a friend who is seeking employment with Disney with a note that it is another side to the CM story she needs to see.
I've always treated the CM's I've come in contact with with respect and let them know how much I've appreciated them for their part in making my family trip magical. They are one of the reasons I continue to come back. Anyone who works among the public knows how difficult it is please everyone and handle the stress when confronted by rude, unruly customers. It is sad that supervisors allow their staff to be treated so badly by guests and thus make CM's feel they can be ill handled and disrespected. I too have left jobs because of the treatment of poor mgt. Not all managers or people in supervisory positions know how to lead or how to treat those under them as valued individuals.
The blogger was right in leaving the job if he couldnt accept the working conditions and when he felt mgt wasnt backing him up when guests crossed the line. It's his choice to stay or leave. If Disney mgt policy falls short on backing up CM's there will be those who leave. We all make the same decision every day to accept or reject our employment based upon our workplace situations.
So thanks for posting the article, there was some value in reading it.

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

I fully agree with management being more proactive in boosting employee morale. The morale of the front line employees does directly affect the company's bottom line because without positive experiences with front line employees the guests don't come back. That said, front line employees that there are going to be difficult guests and they need to be prepared and trained on how to handle that, and not take it personally.

I'm not on this guy's side, but I'm not on Disney's side either. Both need some adjustments in different areas. I just don't agree with this guy's approach or his insinuation that every negative event was disney's fault. I think his true frustration really comes down to Disney as job is not as magical as Disney as a guest. And he also is upset at his pay rate and not being able to live his chosen lifestyle at that pay. That's his fault.

There is plenty of blame for negative experiences to go around on both sides here.

 

[Fishbait]

Low wages and high hours: Sure, that can be expected to a point. But people being homeless, unable to eat, unable to pay rent, not being able to get gas.... all while logging OT? That's dramatic and should never be acceptable. and that does not mean these people should be making crazy amounts either - but with that much time and dedication they do deserve to afford at the very least the basics of life without significant struggle.

Some things should be taken with a grain of salt. That was one of them. The guy had an I phone and bought another. We don't know how he lived or what choices he made with his money. If you know you are making peanuts then it is important to make good decisions with your money or you end up in trouble.

Not saying that this is the case or making any judgments. But we don't know the whole story in those situations.