Pros
3) Free Admission
Not all cast members are huge fans of Walt Disney World, but many are. I was part of the latter group. Having the ability to visit the Walt Disney World parks for free was incredible. I often joked that I was in the Magic Kingdom every day of the week (5 days working, 2 days playing). I used every chance I had to explore to the Walt Disney World parks with my friends, and I had the ability to create memories in the parks that I’ll never forget. While a Disney vacation might be expensive for most families, for me going to the parks was how I actually saved money on the weekends. As an alternative to buying movie tickets, going to the bar, or attending a sporting event, I spent almost every day in the parks for free, which saved me a great deal of money. My entertainment budget was essentially covered just by visiting the parks.
2) Friendships
Working in Walt Disney World you quickly become best friends with the people you work with. Many cast members have relocated from around the world, so this allowed me the chance to create amazing friendships with people from Brazil, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Finland. It is amazing how quickly it truly does become a small world. In fact, one of my cast member friends from Finland was actually was born in my hometown in upstate New York before he moved to Finland. You become very attached to the people you work with. It is almost a big family you create working in Walt Disney World. When cast members aren’t working together more often than not they are playing in the parks. I was even lucky enough to meet my girlfriend during my time as a cast member.
1) Making Magic
It sounds cheesy, but cast members truly get to make magic everyday. Allowing a family to re-ride Space Mountain, or even small gestures like giving a child a Mickey sticker, creates special, even magical, moments for families visiting the park. These moments are not only special for the child, or family who receive these magical moments, but it is also unbelievably magical for the cast member who is able to provide that special moment. When families were particularly nice to me I almost always tried to do something special for them. As a cast member you begin to realize certain families could use extra magic. So being able to step in and alleviate their problem or just make their day better felt so satisfying.
Cons
3) Low Pay
Most employees working at Walt Disney World make just above minimum wage. Working in the Disney College Program, cast members see even less of that money because a certain amount is taken out directly for housing. There were definitely points throughout my time as a cast member that I had as little as 10 dollars in my bank account. Having such little money meant I ate a lot of ramen noodles, cereal, and cheap fast food. Being a good cast member is a huge responsibility, and the low wages that cast members make aren’t fair to these hardworking people in my opinion.
2) Heat and Humidity
Walt Disney World is hot and humid. Being from upstate New York, and moving to central Florida was something I was originally very excited about. Working everyday in that weather isn’t always fun. Trying to keep a smile on your face when you’re wearing long black polyester pants in 95-degree weather is awful. There are many positions where cast members have to stand out in the sun, and unlike the guests, cast members can’t move to a shadier spot if we were getting too warm. Almost every day during the hot summer months I walked out of work sweating profusely and smelling like death.
1) Long and Odd Hours
Walt Disney World guests love Extra Magic Hours; cast members call them Extra Tragic Hours. Some shifts for cast members last 14 hours, or even longer on peak days. This is very draining, and can led to grumpy interactions by cast members. What is particularly unfortunate as a cast member is being scheduled for a night shift immediately followed by a morning shift. When this happens many cast members resort to sleeping in the break rooms just to get 5 or 6 hours of sleep.
