This summer I participated in one of Disney’s International College Programs, meaning I spent my university break living and working in Orlando, Florida. Working within the merchandise sector, I was placed in Hollywood Studios park in the Theater District; an area encompassing nine different locations.
Here are just a few things that you may not know about what it’s like to have Mickey Mouse as your boss:
1. You are a cast member, not an employee
Disney has lots of company-specific terminology, meaning that, when we start parroting it off to family and friends, they seem to believe we’re speaking a different language.
In addition to being a cast member, you have a “role” rather than a position, when working you’re “onstage” and on break are “backstage”, and you wear a “costume” as opposed to a uniform. This is because every cast member is part of creating “the show” of Disney, which runs 365 days a year.
2. You learn The Disney Way
Aside from the Disney terms you adopt, you also get introduced to “The Disney Point”. As it is rude to point with one finger in some cultures, you have to always point with two or a full palm when giving directions. This is something you can’t shrug off ever again.
There’s also “The Disney Count” and “The Disney Scoop” – so basically they have a certain way of doing everything!
3. You only have a first name
Every cast member receives a nametag when they complete Traditions (the introductory class held at Disney University) which bears their first name and home location, wherever that may be in the world.
This is because Walt only wished to be addressed as such, and never as Mr Disney, as this was his father’s name.
Side note: if you ever see someone with the nametag ‘Chris from Orlando’, they probably forgot their own as this is the standard replacement option for the day.
4. Your pay is actually okay
Whilst you’re not going to get rich working for Disney, at $10 an hour for CPs (college programmers…there I go with Disney language!), this is above Florida’s minimum wage ($8.10). You also get time and a half for a shift that extends beyond 8 hours, and when you’re full-time you’ll get the same for holidays and for working your sixth day in a row.
Sadly, even after working 11 days in a row on one occasion, I still just got the $10 per hour.
5. You receive a lot of perks
Disney wants their cast members to be educated when it comes to telling guests about the resort and giving recommendations. We therefore have complementary theme park admission and discounts on merchandise as well as food and beverage – which I certainly made the most of!
Once you reach “hours worked” milestones, you also get free passes for family and friends to use when they visit.
6. You really do have to work hard
Working day in and day out towards the ultimate company goal of “creating happiness”, you have to be a positive, energetic and friendly person. They don’t tolerate people getting by doing the bare minimum, and you will always be called out on it.
It’s a lot of fun, and I must stress that, but as a CP I worked up to 54 hours in one week and rarely had more than one day off a week the whole summer. For that reason, you can’t view this as a holiday with some work to get by but instead a job with vacation time thrown in!
You have to really love Disney, and guests will ask you time and time again if you still do despite working there, which brings me to my final point:
7. You must always maintain the magic
Guests are going to ask you how many Mickeys there are, and the answer is always the same – just one, but we do have two Chips! I’ll let you figure that one out…
Images all writer’s own