Photodave-
That is not necessarily true. I know for a fact that there were at least two people on this board that worked in GR or in high profile main street positions. I agree, t's not a position that is common or people really brag that they have it on social media, and it isn't easy to get, and you have better chances of being hit by lightning twice, than working in GR or as a tour guide. To be honest even if you by luck happen work in GR, it's based on performance and guest service and you can easily get reassigned another position.
Vipguide-
1.You work an entry level customer service position. Attractions, QSFB, Custodial, Merchandise etc. Based on your performance on that, (which sucks because if you work well in that position, your leaders will not want to transfer you) after about half a year or so, you can go on the hub or maybe if you're more old fashioned, go and personally talk to one of your leads and explain you want to go into guest relations.
You don't audition, at least to my knowledge you don't. You just have a ton of interviews and different confidential things. Just basically if you can speak clearly, have good knowledge of the park and the disney company, act jubilant, be able to improvise your actions, look clean cut, maybe have connections and networks of people already at Disney and in GR, your chances get slightly better.
2.The salary, it depends. But it's fairly good. And no people in GR cannot accept tips or cold cash. However, depending on the circumstance, they can accept gifts from guests as there are so few GR cast members that your face goes a long way and it's like being a celebrity at disney in a sense like a character, and the higher ups understand this now and allow for guests to give you small tokens of appreciation like a t shirt, or a a coffee mug or some crap like that.
3.When a group of guests request a tour guide or someone from GR to make their experience more magical, most of it is up to the GR cast member to make the magic happen. They usually ahead of time give a list of requests or an agenda of sort, like what restaurant they want to eat at, or what type of package they paid for, but being a VIP tour guide, or working in GR, you have to think ahead and make the experience magical for the guest.
4.That is something nobody on this site can tell you. That's the hot secret stuff we can't talk about.
I mean if you want to do it, based on your username I can see your motivation then go for it. The worst that can happen is that you don't get the position. But don't feel bad, the majority of the people don't, and the people who do get it probably got in on unwarranted terms.
I knew this good looking handsome blond guy he was my age in his early 20s, worked at Disney for less than a year or so as an attractions host, one day I already saw he had a GR vest. I knew a older woman in her 40s who I rode the bus home with, worked in Disney for twenty years in Custodial and she still does, she had a blue service award nametag. She has been trying to get into GR since 2007 or so and to no avail. She basically has given up at this point because I get it dawned on her that they have a certain look for people, and not that being old or unattractive ruins your chances of getting into GR, but it's not what they are looking for and you have to make up for that in other areas.
Best of luck.
do you know anyone on this site who might have held this position at one point that would be willing to exchange a couple of messages? Not a big deal if no and it isn't something I am pursuing soon...just want to see if this is something that when I get to this point of my life will work for me.