I’m sure we have all seen it. That enraged Disney guest who flips out on an innocent cast member because their kid wasn’t tall enough to ride Space Mountain, because their fries were too salty or because the 3 o’clock parade was cancelled due to inclement weather. The list goes on and on. I’ve seen this happen a lot on my past trips to Walt Disney World and I’ve also experienced it first hand as a cast member.
Like many of you, I grew up going to the Walt Disney World resort every year and felt that I was destined to work for Disney one day. In the spring of 2012, I participated in the Disney College Program and my dream of being a Disney cast member was fulfilled. The Disney College Program is a work/study program that allows college students the opportunity to work at the Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort for a semester. I can honestly say that while working at the Walt Disney World resort was rewarding, it was the hardest job that I have ever had. One would think that working for “The Mouse” would be super fun and magical, but the perceived glamour of being a cast member is far from reality.
Many of the cast members who work at the Disney parks are extremely underpaid and overworked. I worked in a gift shop in the Magic Kingdom and some nights I worked until 4 am. I was perpetually exhausted. Those 10 hour shifts were the hardest. During peak seasons such as spring break, cast members are scheduled up to 60 hours a week. Working in a Disney park can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Cast members are not the only individuals who are extremely tired. Disney guests have been on the go all day, which means cast members deal with those exhausted and cranky guests on a regular basis. I had many guests who were rude to me, but I just had to bite my tongue, smile and say “Have a magical day.” Disney trains their cast members that the guest is always right and as a cast member you are expected to be “happy” 24/7.
On my last couple vacations to Walt Disney World, I witnessed several guest and cast member interactions that were appalling. I saw one woman storm out of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party after she was informed by a cast member that Disney would not refund the money for her tickets due to the inclement weather. She literally screamed at the cast member, claiming that her baby was too cold to stay at the party. I’ve also heard some crazy stories from my friends who still work at Disney. One of my friends said that a fellow cast member had a hot cup of coffee thrown at her by a guest.
It takes a very special person to be a Disney cast member. The cast members at Disney parks are not working at Disney for the money or the glamour of being a cast member. They get up and go to work every day because they love Disney and most of all they love making the magic. My favorite memories from my program were when I was able to make a guest’s day special with a magical moment. As difficult as working for Disney was sometimes, I was the happiest when those extra special guests struck up a conversation with me and were friendly and caring. Those are the most rewarding moments for cast members and are what help them get through those long shifts and give them the patience to handle those guests who aren’t so nice.
Today, I am no longer a Disney cast member. I work in marketing and communications for a major hospital in the Baltimore/Washington region, but I know I couldn’t have made it to where I am now without the experiences I gained working for Disney. I’m so thankful for my experience as a cast member and today I am even more appreciative of all the Disney cast members I meet on my vacations because I have walked in their shoes. So the next time you encounter a cast member, thank them or take some time to get to know them because without them, there would be no Disney magic and memories for the generations of Disney fans to come.
