anyone know if this is true?

[viks]

hi, ive been reading the board the past couple of days, and dreaming of going to disney (i went as a kid, and can't wait to go again some day). I also found this article and wondered if anyone knew if it was true or not? http://writing.fsu.edu/oow/2001/disney_final.htm

[MandaBella]

I've never been a CM. However after reading this article, I can't say I'm not surprised by her comments about being a fur character. The heat and the having to hug complete strangers would prevent me from ever wanting to audition for any characters.

Regarding her comments about cliques... I couldn't say, but aren't cliques almost everywhere in society? Sadly, not all of us leave this nonsense behind in middle school.

BTW, Welcome to DWT.

[Tampa]

Sadly, not all of us leave this nonsense behind in middle school.

does that mean you'll accept my fudgie?!?!?!

[vixen101485]

Article seems a little bitter....hmmm they fired her because she called in sick...now just how often did this occur I'd probably get rid of her too if she did it on a regular basis for no good reason...
Both my older daughter(ages 9-11 at the time) and I have done the costume thing but for local tv stations and in 95* heat for no pay(we got mega amounts of amusement park passes, free food, hobnobbed with celebrities, and lots of other perks) Being a costume character is something you HAVE to like to do(you have to like ppl, even the obnoxious ones)---if she didn't like it why not just ask them to transfer her to a non-character job. I wonder when she actually worked there...article was 2001... but when I applied at DisneyWorld in 1991 was told by interviewer that starting pay for characters was $12 + an hour depending experience etc. btw...i was offered job doing non-character but wasn't enuf hours for public asisstance program to pay for my move.
Anyway this girl just sounds like she was ticked off because she was fired and if she didn't want to work at Disney why on Earth would you even apply for any job you didn't want unless you were desperate for money.
Remind me to tell you about the idiot that hit my 9 yr while she was in costume

[Tampa]

I applied at DisneyWorld in 1991 was told by interviewer that starting pay for characters was $12 + an hour depending experience etc.

that sounds about right, and still not enough.

[Jiminy Cricket]

hi, ive been reading the board the past couple of days, and dreaming of going to disney (i went as a kid, and can't wait to go again some day). I also found this article and wondered if anyone knew if it was true or not? http://writing.fsu.edu/oow/2001/disney_final.htm

The article seems to be real. From what I have read over the years about the College Program (CP) is that some students love it and continue with Disney, and others do not. With over 55,000 employees at WDW alone and thousands of students in the CP, there are bound to be some who don't feel the magic after awhile.

P.S. Welcome to the board!!!

[rosworms]

Before I could actually go into the park and play Mary Poppins or Ariel I was fired, due to the fact that I would call in sick everyday they would schedule me for fur.

Idiot...

Walt Disney World is like the apple for Eve--- it looks intriguing, but there’s something not right about it, and in the end it’s evil.

Sounds like what I said about Wal-Mart after I worked there...
And even there... there are some people that become lifers (love the job and stay there forever) and there are people like me who believe that Wal-Mart is the root of all evil.

Basically, this chick just doesn't understand that having a job means you actually have to work.... Yes the work may not always be pleasant, but it's not supposed to be a big party. You get paid to do your job no matter how you feel about it.

Sheesh... this girl is such a wimp too.
I worked as a fur character for Jellystone Park for one summer in highschool. I would put on the big ol' Cindy Bear (sometimes Boo Boo Bear) suit and go dance on stage or make appearences in the 'dance club' section.

Though, I do admit that I think Disney could make an improvement on their fur costumes. At Jellystone, we have this giant ice-pack-suit that we put on under the actual costume to keep us from passing out from the heat.

[MandaBella]

does that mean you'll accept my fudgie?!?!?!

I don't like nuts. So, no I cannot accept your fudgie.


And Kelli, I agree. WalMart is evil, and not the fun kind of evil like Disney Villains either.

[vixen101485]

So the way I figure out the timeline on this and correct me if I'm wrong...If character pay was $12 in 1991 and this chick was only getting paid $6.50, that puts the origin of her story around, say, 1985 or so...hmmm and she is still grousing about something happened to her 16 years ago at the teenage age of 16...get over it and move on with your life...makes me wonder what she does for a living now, obviously not a writer(not that I'm an expert) but that sounded more like a letter of complaint to a friend then an essay for a contest-WHO were the judges?---geeeez

[dzney4lyf]

I'm thinking she is a big BS'er.... The time line above makes sense with having to be in 1985 for 6.50 pay BUT the charaters that she was portraying were not around at that time. I think that this person probably worked as a "custodial engineer" (trying to be PC) got fired for taking pickings from the garbage pile and wrote a ficticious story to cover up their bad doings...

just my thought...

[vixen101485]

LMMEO.....hey garbage picking is fun but you have to do it in the rich neighborhoods to get the good stuff....lol

yeah tho...the money and time just doesnt coincide...so, LOU, what kind of prize would you have given this goof that wrote this essay?

[tjcoolgirl15]

and there are people like me who believe that Wal-Mart is the root of all evil.

I'm with ya in thinking Wal-Mart is the root of all evil. Never worked there, but when they wouldn't let me buy spray glitter for a school project that I was required to have it for because I wasn't 21, I kind of lost all respect for it, not that I had much to start with.

[dzney4lyf]

You need to be 21 to buy spray glitter?? That makes of whole lot of NO sense!! You can die fighting for your country at the age of 18 but you can't buy a can of glitter??

[tjcoolgirl15]

I know, I thought it was crazy too!!! (This was at a Wal-Mart close to my college, yet in my home town, they let my 13 year old sister buy about 10 cans of it after Halloween!!!)

[SnwhtNdwrfs]

I think it is new federal laws that have been fairly recent. I got carded for diswasher detergent because it contains something that can be used in bombs or something like that. I am well over 21 by the way. Also inhalent usage is up among young people. may be a factor also

Just some info that may be totally wrong.