Working at Disney World seems like the most magical job on Earth, right? You wake up every day and you get to spend your entire work day at Disney World —what can be better?!
As it turns out, like any job, there are ups and downs about working at Disney. While we may all think it’s fireworks and sunshine, it’s not always that way for some.
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It’s very “cliquey.”
“There’s a hierarchy of cool kids based on your job as a cast member, and unsurprisingly, the princesses are at the very top. There are also cliques and cafeteria politics you have to learn to navigate,” one person shared.
You start to really hate Disney.
One person said that after a while, everything seems less magical. The fireworks get old, the cheeriness wears off, and eventually, you start to resent everything about Disney World altogether.
Who can hate Mickey Mouse, right? Apparently, if you see him enough, you totally can.
Not all the guests are easy to deal with.
“The guests; some were great, some were just there, and then there were some that were just terrible. It’s not my fault that the boats are closed because of lightning. Yes, we are grounded but if we get hit, we lose steering, engines, everything. I don’t want to crash today,” someone said.
People do weird things..like scatter their loved one’s ashes.
One former employee said that people often scatter their loved one’s ashes inside of the Haunted Mansion. No, it’s not a “one time” thing, multiple people do it, very frequently as a matter of fact.
“Cast members refer to it as ‘Code Grandma.'”
You don’t have control over your work hours really.
“You basically have no control over your hours. During the holidays I had turn arounds constantly. Some weeks I had all nights, and then the next week is have all mornings. My body was constantly confused as to when I was supposed to be sleeping,” one person shared.
Mickey Mouse is usually a girl.
One person shared that in terms of casting of characters, Mickey Mouse is most oftentimes a female cast member.
The casting is done by height most of the time, and female cast members get picked for Mickey and Minnie as they are shorter.
You get to meet people from all over the world.
One pro of working at Disney World, according to multiple employees and former employees, is that you get to meet new people who come from all over the world.
Because Disney World is such a popular place, people come from all over the globe to work there. Many have even met their spouses working there, too!
You have to actually train to work at Disney World.
“There’s a LOT of training. At Disney University, located behind the Magic Kingdom, we’re taught all things Disney, which can include anything from taking classes on Disney history to learning how to ‘make magic’ for the guests,” shared one employee.
Making memories for other families is amazing.
One Reddit user said that the best part of their job is the ability to make memories and moments for other families.
Seeing the look on the faces of younger children and the excitement they have doing the experiences is something you “can’t put a price on.”
The discounts are real.
Many employees say one of the biggest perks is the discounts you get as an employee.
Going to Disney World is definitely a more “expensive” trip, but employees get discounts on park tickets, events, hotels, and even transportation. That’s a win/win!
The nicer you are to the cast members, the further you will get.
Many people hear horror stories about “rude guests” and crazy families at Disney, but many people online share that the more kind and nice you are to cast members, the more you will get out of them.
Cast members love when guests treat them like actual people!
You can’t do anything “off task” while in costume.
“You are not allowed to be seen eating or shopping if you’re in costume. When your shift ends, you have to go right from your job to the backstage area without stopping. Unless a guest asks you a question.” one employee shared.
Cast members sometime go by random names.
One person shared that if you see a cast member with a common or gender-neutral name, it’s most likely that the cast member forgot their own name tag at home.
Every cast member needs a name tag, so they have extras to give out if they forget.
Disney actually has a great education program.
“Disney actually has a good education program, where you can go and take college courses to get your degree or even just to learn a new skill. And if you finish the course and decide to leave the next day, they won’t force you to stay to “pay for the education you received,” one person shared.
If a ride breaks down, you’re in luck.
“Not really anything that you can control but a lot of Disney regulars often hope that the ride they are on breaks down because if it does, the cast members provide a free fast pass for everyone on the ride. It’s pretty common actually,” one employee said.
