CM Application Process

OK, in the near future I may possibly be making a career move to the Orlando area, and will need a another job to supplement my income. What better place than WDW to make a little extra dough! So for those of you CM's who work in rides, help!

It would be for a rides type of position, and would be part or full time. I know that promotions at previous theme park companies don't get you and automatic job at a higher level, but do they at least help further down the road? And where does pay start and how often do you get raises?

Can I apply right at the Casting Dept. on a future trip?

Benefits? (obviously free entry but health, other benefits i.e. free tickets)

Any other tips would be cool.

On the other hand (same questions)for being a monorail driver.

You can walk in to Central Casting at WDW (off of Buena Vista Drive near Downtown Disney) and apply for any position. If they are currently hiring for the position you want, you could be interviewed and hired on the spot. Or you may be given an appointment at a later time for an interview.

Full time CMs are eligible for health benefits after six months of employment. You can choose to apply for full time or part time. To find out what positions they are hiring for call (407) 828-1000.

Previous employment doesn't count for much. Ride operators all start at the bottom, with starting pay currently at about $6.50 an hour (last I heard). Promotions and pay raises come with time, experience and performance.

Once hired, you will attend a day and a half of orientation and will be given an ID card and car pass. Then you are assigned to a park and a ride team. You have free access to all the parks immediately for yourself. After 90 days you are allowed to sign in a limited number of guests. You also get a discount at the Disney merchandise stores and restaurants. The discount is increased over time.

You won't become wealthy working at WDW, but it is certainly a lot of fun. Good luck!

[ August 11, 2002, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: WDWdriver ]

I cant stress enough Soon as you get in to the casting Call, SMILE AND BE CHEERY. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D Also dont be shy shy is not what they are looking for.

Do they have a limited number of hours you can work. Lets say I was full time, could I work over 40 if I wanted to (say 50 to 60 hours a week)?

Quote:

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Originally posted by master_gracey:
Do they have a limited number of hours you can work. Lets say I was full time, could I work over 40 if I wanted to (say 50 to 60 hours a week)?

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Normally you could not work that much overtime. But it depends on where you are working and whether they are fully staffed. And you don't get paid more per hour for overtime. Earlier this year, in the aftermath of 9/11, full time CMs were working less than 40 hours. Some were lucky to get in 30 hours.

If I may ask a quick question pertaining to this subject, do you think it would be possible given the cost of living in the Orland area, for a family of three to survive with two adults working for WDW?

I'm actually hoping to get a job in my field (hopefully with WDW, but it doesn't have to be) but I also would work for Disney until I got a shot at a job suited to my skills. I so badly want to make the move but there are so many factors involved. I don't want to give up everything here in PA just to not be able to make it in FL.

DarkRider

There are many couples working full time at WDW, and most are doing okay. It is difficult at first because the starting pay is so low. But eventually there will be promotions and pay raises.

The cost of living in the Orlando area is actually rather low compared to some other parts of the country. Once you get away from the resort and theme park areas you can find reasonable rents and prices. I suggest you go to the Orlando Sentinel website and check their classified section to get a better idea of wages, rents and home prices in the area.

And before you make the big leap, you really should take a trip to Orlando to check out the nearby towns and neighborhoods. Hey, you could even visit WDW while you are there! ;)

WDWDriver. Thanks for the tips! I am encouraged. We've looked into some of the housing in and around the area, and I've been crunching numbers to see if this will all work. I don't think we'll make the jump until next summer earliest. In the meantime, I'm doing all the research I can so as not to leave PA without some kind of back up plan. My DW is a loss prevention agent and is looking into WDW or possibly MCO for employment. Fingers are crossed!

The only requirement of a Part-Timer is that they work at least 2 days a week, or make available 30 hours per week. You can (especially in busy times) work over 40 hours a week, and you do get paid time and a half overtime for anything over 40 hours.

Also, for Full-Timers, health benefits kick in 90 days after you start, but they don't offer benefits to Part-Timers.

Pay raises come with each year of service put in with the company. None are performance based.

You start out with a 20% discount on merchandise, and certain restaurants, and once you reach 3 years, you get 35% off for merchandise only. There are also other Christmas perks, with special coupons for bigger discounts on meals and on merchandise, and twice a year, you are given 2 park tickets.

Does anyone know anything about the recruiting or application process for corporate positions? I have a master's degree in human resources and am hoping to find opening's within WDW or Disney Corp. in general. Does anyone have a name and phone number or email address for someone in HR, recruiter or otherwise, at WDW?

Thanks

-- CSOM

CSOM,

I worked in the corporate side of the parks (along with doing OT as Pooh and Eeyore. The process is generally good. You can do an initial phone interview at your leisure, or you can call casting and they will give you an address or fax to send resume' to. Then, if interested they will call you and set up a phone interview. This is very strict, they give you a window of time, tell you to be a quiet room and to turn off call waiting so there are no interruptions during the process. If they like your answers (be very cheerful and keep consistent, keep an "I love Disney because of what it represents" attitude and you will make it through the interview. After that, sometime the next week, they will then call and schedule you a face to face interview. This interview can consist of 3 or more, smaller interviews while there. The process took me 4 hours on my interview day and a total of 3 interviews...and I was a good candidate! It is not a laborious process, just a lengthy one. [img]smile.gif[/img] If accepted, you go to Traditions, but leave after that and go back to your corp. department as opposed to the park sessions.

Hope this helps!

Kelly

PS…..People considered Corp. are allowed to work as many extra hours in the parks as they like. Also, if they are shorthanded, sometimes they will ask managers to ask corp. employees to help in parks…not often, but it happens and if vol.

I have yet another question and now I'm going to get a little more specific. I am a graphic designer. I'm outgrowing my present job and would love to work for Disney. I'm a fairly talented artist as well. What are my options and where do I fit in the mix? I'd love, of course, to work for Imagineering, but I'd be just as happy to work in any area that handles print advertising or newsletters and such as well. Seeing that we have some Disney insiders here, what advice can you offer? I was thinking of walking into Central Casting with my portfolio in hand and a resume and trying to get it into the right hands. Heck, I'm willing to camp out on the front lawn with big posters of my work surrounding me.

:D

I am also interested in working at disney. I am a self employed operator of a passenger vessel on the great lakes. I would like to work seasonal, operating and maintaining some of the vessels at disney. I have 4.5 or so months to spare. Any info??

And while we're on the subject, how about anyone who's worked in World Showcase - what is the policy hiring out-of-country folk for positions there? Would Disney do the "green card" thing for someone from Mexico, or Canada, or wherever? Or does anyone know where I might look for information of this sort? Thanks!

A great site to check out is the official WDW Casting site here. It gives you a TON of information on all of the things you need to know about Careers at WDW.

And scooterca42, you can go to that WDW Casting site and click on International for much more info on International Recruiting.

I hope you all can find a job at WDW. It's one of the most magical places to work.