Working at the Reservations Center

[g.armor]

Hello!

I have wanted to work for Disney World for years; and I may now have an opportunity to work in the reservations center. Can anyone answer questions for me who works there, or has worked there?

My main questions are:
1) Can I support a family of 5 on the wages?
2) How easy is advancement? I have 4 years call center experience ranging from representative, training, and management.

Thanks for any help or advice you can give!

 

[fugawe09]

Reservations centers are located near in Tampa and near I-drive in Orlando. There is also the "front desk" call center on WDW property. These are front line union roles (IBEW), so pay increases are largely tied longevity and scheduling very much on seniority. You of course get fringe benefits that any other CM gets, which may be of value to you, but last I knew starting pay at least for part-timers had one digit to the left of the decimal.

Call centers have a lot of turnover because it's not a life for everyone, but at the same time they have a fair number of battle axes that have been in the same chair for 30+ years. If you can learn the Disney product and handle the call center life, you have a decent chance of moving up to trainer or even the second tier of elite call center reps that handle real problem cases. Those roles can see significant pay increases.

Making the jump from a union role to a salaried management role can be more difficult. If you have previous management experience that can work in your favor but you have to network well so that both your leaders and coworkers feel comfortable with you.

 

[g.armor]

Thank you for that information. Do you know what the commission structure is like? I turned down proceeding with the interview process on my initial screening interview because of the $9.40/hr starting rate, which is just over 30% of what I make now in small-town-Alabama, so I know I would need a lot more, but Disney refused to divulge even a hint of what the commission may look like. How is anyone supposed to make an informed decision without all the facts concerning pay potential??

 

[fugawe09]

Sorry, I really don't know what the DRC pays in terms of commission. Any DRC folks out there with a better answer? I imagine Casting wouldn't/couldn't give you an estimate because commission isn't something they can guarantee. While many Cast Members find it rewarding and fun to work at Disney, I wouldn't move based just on money.

 

[disney4life2008]

Sorry, I really don't know what the DRC pays in terms of commission. Any DRC folks out there with a better answer? I imagine Casting wouldn't/couldn't give you an estimate because commission isn't something they can guarantee. While many Cast Members find it rewarding and fun to work at Disney, I wouldn't move based just on money.

I would agree - I think its more for the love of the job and working for the company. However, while the pay not be great - it could open up amazing opportunities in the future. I have also wanted to work in guest services at a disney resort - I regret not doing the college program when I had the chance. But even with that - I have had friends who ended up cleaning bathrooms - that is not my thing