I'm a 22-year old guy with a good engineering job for someone without a degree but I've always wanted to work for Disney. I lived near Orlando when I was a child and my family went to Disney World ALL the time. I'm at a place in my life where I am able to just get up and go. I've saved up for a while, just bought a car, have been completely providing for myself for a couple years, and it's time to pursue my dreams. (Bear in mind that I can more than likely come back to my current job if I leave on good terms) If anyone has ever worked for Disney, could you tell me about your experiences and what you liked (or disliked) about working there? If anyone has ever wanted to do it but decided against it, what caused that decision? (family, relocation, etc.)
Are you saying you want to work in the resort, rather than some kind of corporate position? That would leave your options to retail, food services, ride attendant, maintenance, or custodial staff. I don't imagine the salary would be very high for most of those positions, unless you have very specific skills, so you may need to adjust your lifestyle a bit, but only you can really determine that. On the other hand, I have heard very good things about the company and their willingness to allow people to climb the ladder. Check out the Glasssdoor reviews. If it's something you are passionate about, do it (especially when you are young so you can recover if it turns out to be a mistake).
I've applied for several management positions but I'm not confident enough in my resume to be optimistic about those options. I did apply for an hourly position because I knew that it would get my foot in the door, so I have an interview on July 2nd! It's for the hourly position but we will be discussing options for other positions as well and I'm hoping that is where I will be able to prove my ability to be in management.
That's good advice. Don't leave regrets to fester. It's not such a wild, crazy idea that would put you in a hole the rest of your life if it doesn't work out... so why not?
from the performing end, many actors get treated like crap by Disney when they are hired as "cast members" from the audition process down to working at the theme parks or cruise lines... but it sounds like that's not the avenue you are going down
Your dreams sound reasonable enough, and it really doesn't sound like there's anything overtly absurd about what you're trying to do. Go to that interview, tell them what you see yourself accomplishing within the company, and know that you're doing right by you. Good luck!
I'm impressed by this thread. I don't know why, but I find it awesome that you've always dreamed of Disney and I find it even more awesome that you are willing to do anything to work there. Rep for you and I hope you find something. I'd help you out if I could. I used to know someone who worked in the Florida location, but no longer.
Similarly, I've heard from people in LA who do various media jobs that Disney has a reputation for firing or letting people go on a whim, and that the general turnover there is one that has its employees on edge. But that's not to say you shouldn't take a job with them for that reason. At my company, I've had 4 different bosses in the past 18 months. It's not the worst thing in the world.
I have heard those kind of things as well. It would be unfortunate, but sometimes change can be good; doors close and others open! You just have to be available to it. If things didn't work out, I'd find something else to do
As long as the new Star Wars movie has Luke Skywalker's son, Cartman Skywalker, and it also has to have a character named Jewbacca.
Yeah, I go in with my scooter and take families around so they can jump the lines. I make more doing this than my old Tax job. On a more serious note, if it's your passion and something you really want to do, then go for it. Good luck!
I'm pretty sure it's a good place to work a summer. Look into it for real, don't ask around this forum.
With so many complex mechanisms in play, from transportation to the rides and attractions, surely the parks themselves would have a need for engineers right? I mean Magic Kingdom alone has an underground support city to make sure everything ticks.
They do have engineers and a ton of professional level jobs, but without a degree and a lack of confidence in his resume, OP wants to try to get into the company another way. I've tried applying for some of the professional jobs with Disney Parks before and have been rejected each time. I've read that working at Disney is a lot like a fraternity, and starting as an hourly employee is key to career growth. Now, of course, my experiences cannot be translated to OP, but it may be the easiest route to take for what he wants to accomplish.
