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I know where to look on the Official Disney Website for Employment Opportunities but I am wondering if there is also any other way to find out what jobs are available or whether or not Disney accepts resumes. My personal guess is they don't due to the high volume they most likely receive.
Any suggestions that anyone might have?
Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong spot. I am hoping this relates to the company and didn't see anywhere else it might belong.
i've heard that they don't even consider people with tattoos and long hair.
i'm out.
I might be wrong, but I believe that Disney accepts resumes for "professional" positions -- Imagineering, Management, stuff like that. I think College Program is hired by recruiters at the various colleges. For everything else, you need to go in person to the Casting Center across from Downtown Disney. There will be an updated list of available positions in the building. Plan on spending most of the day, as you have to fill out the app, take a math test, watch a video, and have your interview. Hiring is done on the spot, unless it's an attractions position that requires an additional audition (Innoventions had that requirement when I was hired). If that's the case, you'll definitely be hired that day, but not "necessarily" for the audition-based position. Anyway, if you're hired, then you have to do some more paperwork, and your orientation (2 days, paid) will be scheduled.
It is true that they won't consider you if you're male with long hair, or have tattoos, facial piercings, or anything else that's against the "Disney look." You won't even be given an application, no matter how much you promise that if you're hired you'll cut your hair or whatever. And, of course, you should dress professionally, wear a big smile, and be reasonably knowledgable about the company, the parks, etc.
This was all true as of when I was hired 10 years ago. If anybody has any more updated information, feel free to correct me :mickeykid
Just so you know I was a cast member at the Disney Store about 11 years ago and I had pink glasses and I was told I couldn't wear them on stage. So I had to go out and get new glasses because it didn't go with my costume. So the long hair and tatoo thing I wouldn't doubt that is true because all I had were different color glasses and I was just working in the stores in the mall not even the parks.So yes they are pretty tough with your apperance.
On the website I see the professional type stuff and to be a performer and what-not...
but where would you go if you just wanted to... be a person that cleans the streets or a vendor or something?
Like the simple type job you would do for college money or for just some extra money but not your only income?
Doesn't matter. There is a actually a book/leaflet that describes the Disney Look and it has to be followed to the T. Hair,earrings,tattoos, you name it they got it. And ALL cast members follow it. Even the ones that work in the Reservation Centers.
WDW Casting Jobline: (407) 828-1000
Tell 'em I sent you (well, that won't help, but hey.. I too can be a casting scout)
Some positions (creative, etc) are less strict about the Disney Look, but it's a real requirement for nearly all on-stage roles.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam I Am
The park i work summers at has "strict" appearance rules too. I put strict in quotes because I'm sure it's nothing compared to WDW. It was just stuff like no visible body piercings and tattoos, no hair over the face, and for the guys... no stubble. if you wanted facial hair, you had to start growing it out before the beginning of the season, because they didn't want anyone trying to grow it out and looking shaggy onstage.
But while we're on the topic of WDW employment, it's been a life-long dream of mine to work at WDW, even though I know the pay stinks http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/for...ilies/wink.gif . I figure I might do it as a temporary filler after i get out of school while I continue the search for a career-type job flying jets and stuff. I was trying to think of what I would most enjoy doing, and I've come up with a few possibilities. I've worked for going on 3 years now in food service at my park, and this year im actually part of the seasonal management team. I looked into Disney's management internships, but saw that you need at least 1 year experience in a non-management position with them first. so i put that one off.
then, looking at food service, i decided that with the incredible volume WDW handles compared to my park, I don't want to mass assemble double-bacon cheeseburgers at Cosmic Rays for 8 hours a day. I think I would want to do something more open to the guests. I am all personality really. Something onstage. It would be cool to be a character, but according to the website, you have to resemble the character physically. Well, I'm no prince charming (although i suppose if you're in one of the full character costumes, no one can tell... so i'm not sure how that works), so I kind of half-dismissed that idea too. But then I thought of one last idea.
I could be a performing musician! I've been a drummer since I was in 4th grade, and although i'm quite a bit out of practice now, I was the captain of my high school drum line in 2001-2002. I know the performers and musicians have to have auditions, but do any of you have any experience maybe as a former CM who's gone through these before? are they really difficult? What would it take for me to get into something like playing a snare drum in a Main Street Parade, or as a street performer or something? If anyone has any knowledge of these music auditions, please let me know!http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/for...es/drummer.gif
Don--
I'll throw my two cents into your WDW employment musings. I don't know anything about the music auditions, I am not now and never have been the least bit musically inclined. But I've been an actress since the age of 5, and when you're a starving actor in Orlando, what do you do? Right, work for Disney (or Universal, or both). When I was finally old enough to work in the parks, I had watched many of my friends go through the entertainment department and come out screaming, crying, or both. Characters is a tough gig...I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Those costumes are brutally, punishingly hot, and teens and young adults love to physically abuse the characters. The character wranglers do the best they can, but honestly everyone I've known that's been a character, despised it and burned out within a couple of months. I hear stunt acting is a bit better - don't know if you're up for falling off buildings though :dizzy: I don't know about the musical performers, they may fare better than the rest of the entertainment crew.
Anyway, I decided to bypass entertainment altogether, and headed for the Attractions department. A good spieling job, IMHO, is the best of both worlds -- the chance to really get close to guests and create the magic, but a lot better working conditions and much less punishing on the body. (Of course, I then went and got a job at Terror on Church Street, where I tore up my body nightly -- anything for a good scare.)
Jungle Cruise skipper, Great Movie Ride driver, spiel jobs are getting fewer and farther between, but if you can get one, that would be my choice. I was bad, I left Mickey for the monkey... Kongfrontation at "the other park" was my home for a long time. But for me, spieling was the only job I seriously considered....and I had the best time!!!! Spielers tend to only work one ride, as opposed to push-button attractions people who work a whole area...so the crews get pretty tight-knit, and it can lead to friendly rivalry with other attractions.
Just my random musings on the situation...feel free to take with a giant grain of salt.
Lisa
When Uncle Walt proposed the Disneyland idea to Aunt Lillian she did not like the idea of an amusement park because she thought they were dirty and attracted the "wrong" kind of crowds. Uncle Walt swore DL would be different--and it was.
As to the grooming, even though facial hair was taboo from Day 1 for most CMs, it was ironic Uncle Walt had a moustache. He did not want the CMs to look and/or act like carnival/amusement park workers at the time who were generally not likely to be able to join the 33 Club.
For us oldtimers, we have seen the transition of CMs who used to be mainly whites from Central Florida to those of many, many, foreign countries, especially the Spanish speaking ones. While there are some black CMs from Haiti at WDW, for the most part, blacks are and have always been almost invisible at WDW for some reason.
The new thing at WDW is that more and more local "non-focused" high school students are being recruited for "work-study" programs, which usually means food service jobs, or the other "F-letter jobs", which are fetch, flowers and filth, in the jargon of the educators that train these students.
Forgot to give the http://disneycareers.com/ URL, too...
Lisa -
Thanks! You're right... I did overlook the ideas of spiel rides like Jungle Cruise. That would be a lot of fun!:idea: Stunt acting might have some perks of its own, but I never really thought of myself as that kind of person. Besides... don't you need some sort of experience in that kind of thing? I'm sure they don't let first timers just throw themselves off of buildings or get trampled by boulders.:whip:
As you mentioned about the push-button rides, the ride operators and attendants at my park are divided into teams that work whole sections of the park and rotate amongst several rides. The jobs are pretty much the same on all of them. Although this doesn't seem too bad, I really am looking for something where I can interact with, or at least have exposure to the guests. which is why i don't mind food service at the smaller park. with the exception of when we get really busy, I actually get a chance to talk face to face with a number of the guests who feel up to talking, and I feel like I'm doing much more than just handing them their pizza.
Ultimately I think I would want to be a street performer or something like that (think Jammitors in EPCOT :drummer: ), although I'd love to be in a parade as well. but assuming i didn't make the cut in the audition, maybe looking into those spiel-type rides could be a pretty cool alternative. Thanks!
Don-
Yeah, I think street performer would be a pretty cool gig. I just love the Jammitors!! I have no clue about those auditions, where/when/what's involved, hopefully somebody else on the board has some info for you. For the parades, how are your dancing skills? I know the first-cut open audition for parades is a pretty rigorous dance routine.
I might be wrong, but I think for the stunt show, you have to have experience to start in a main role (Indy, German mechanic) but you can be hired and trained if you're reasonably athletic, and work your way up. They get paid well, a lot better than anybody else, guess they deserve it though. Great way to get stunt training if you want to pursue a career in it... something I've thought about doing off and on. I'm in my 20s and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, is that bad?
Anyway, I can see why you enjoy food service at your park, if it's a small enough place to give you time for guest interaction... and why you would probably hate food service at Disney. I doubt you'd have time for anything, ever, other than endless piles of burgers to be assembled.
Another department you could consider is Tour Guide. That'd probably be the job with the maximum ability to make a difference for guests. Of course, it would just be a few people a day, but boy would they always remember you.
This conversation has gotten me wondering... I just moved back to FL from New Orleans, and I haven't found a job down here yet... think I should go back to work for Disney for awhile? It would be such a waste of the annual pass I just bought though... maybe I should go back to work for Universal instead....hmmm.
Last summer I got together with three other employees at my park who I had played with in my high school drumline, and we proposed to management the idea of forming a street percussion performance similar to that of the Jammitors. It was shot down however, with the excuse that they didn't think it would draw enough of aconsistent crowd. It would be something people would see once and not feel the need to go back to. (And I thought to myself, "and how many people are running back over and over to catch our little variety show made up of 5 bad singers and dancers, and a guy doing some juggling on a unicycle or balancing board, singing really old songs on a little plywood stage?" http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/for...nquisitive.gif) Haha, so I stuck to making/selling pizzas for a second year, and then this year they give me a position in seasonal management and are letting me play a part in running the pizza stand. oh yay!
I have all of zero dancing experience. It's something I wish I was good at, but I have no training and no experience. I'm in pretty good shape, and being a drummer I have great rhythm... I just don't have any moves! Maybe with some choreography and some practice I could get good at it, but I'm much better at marching and playing the snare drum! As for the stunt thing, I'm 20 and in pretty good shape, so I'm sure I could do it with some training, but I don't really think it's something worth the time and effort because I don't plan on making a career out of it. I'm spening a lot of money right now on a flight training and a degree in aeronautical science. As of right now, the long-term career goal is to find a job with an airline, flying jets and earning a good 6 figure income. Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, a pilot's life for me!http://www.disneyworldtrivia.com/for...ted_pirate.gif
And as for whether or not you should go back to working for WDW or Universal... I say that depends on the reason you want to work. If you're wanting a job you can live off of, I don't think theme parks is where you should be looking. That's why I'm paying insane dollar amounts for the fancy degree from a big name school and flying 6 days a week. That's how I intend to make my living, in the sky. If you are just talking about getting a job to take care of some of the time on your hands, or because you would enjoy working at someplace like Disney just for kicks, or the benefits of park admission or whatever, then why the heck not? I'm considering it just because I LOVE WDW and I'm pretty sure I wont be able to get a good, high-paying job right out of college. I figure it might be something I can do for a little while to help ease the burden of living while I try to find a more permanent career path.
Oh, and while I'm thinking of it. You seem to be fairly knowlegdeable in a number of these different Disney jobs, so I'll ask you (as well as anyone else who might have a clue out there). I've got a buddy here at school who is another WDW fan (and a member of the DWT.com forums, Dreamflightmc21), who is majoring in aviation safety science, and has a lot of experience in stage management and "tech-ing", as they call it. He says he hopes to maybe be able to pick up a job or internship with Disney as a safety investigator/consultant, or as a "techie" (I think that's just a fancy name for a stage hand or coordinator or something). Basically, he's talking back stage jobs, either making stage shows come to life, or making sure rides don't fling people out of them I guess. Do you have you any knowledge of how he might go about finding out about these kinds of jobs or internships? Or is getting involved in that kind of work a totally different bag of tricks from applying to build burgers, punch ride buttons, and wear a Goofy suit? I dunno... I just thought I'd ask for him too while I was thinking about it. Thanks for alll your info!