Ok, I am back from Disney and am absolutely depressed that I am sitting here at my desk and not walking around the Magic Kingdom.
I've visited Disney many times and am always impressed at how efficient and courteous the staff is. One particular incident stuck out in my mind that earned Disney a gold star in my book.
One night, a rather large family boarded one of the Disney buses (I stayed at Fort Wilderness) and one of the family members was a young girl who was on a motorized wheelchair and was being well tended to by her family. The driver of the bus immediately loaded the young lady and her chair onto the bus, jockeyed the chair into position on the bus and pulled out special straps designed to lock down wheelchairs and insured this young lady was strapped in safely.
During the entire process, the driver of the bus talked to the young lady and explained what he was doing while asking her "Was she having a good time?".
Once the bus was underway, I overheard the father tell a group of people that Universal Studios and Sea World pretty much ignored his daughters handicaps but Disney bent over backwards to INSURE they were taken care of and that they had the best experience possible. He then added "I will always spend my entertainment dollars at Disney!"
Kudo's to you Disney Employees for all the hard work you do!
Points Of Interest (To Me) at Disney
Animal Safari - LOVED it!
Rain Forest Cafe - Outstanding food and service.
Fireworks Show At Magic Kingdom - Someone dressed as Tinkerbell actually slid down a wire waving a wand during the show. Whoever you are, you are very brave!
Epcot - "Club Cool" - A Coca Cola exhibit that lets you try different sodas from around the world. I like the Watermelon flavored beverage from China!
Typhoon Lagoon - If you can't find fun here, you must be dead!
SouthernProgrammer(04/17/2007)
Avid, the problem with meeting any of the cast members (Disney employees are known as 'cast members') at a bar is they are all anonymous. They all turn into "Grumpy". I have actually talked to some IT employees and they said the work is tough but rewarding.
avid reader(04/17/2007)
I once knew someone in college who claimed to have gotten high with some cast members in the Treehouse living area where they stayed (I actually did know that they have cast member label). He said they acted as if Mickey was constanty watching. Not sure if it was the drugs or that's really how it is!
bigblue(04/17/2007)
When I went to Disney I had a bad run-in with the parking lot attendants, the people at the spa and the security people who I spoke to about the nasty people in the parking lot. Ultimately I don't feel they really cared about people having a good time unless people were actually already having a good time.
On the flip side, I have a close friend who works at Disney a few weeks a year and has done so for over a decade who is very happy with it. But then again, she is pretty amazing--she is a high school guidance counselor in an inner-city high school (who is always positive to the worst of the worst kids) and is a comedian on the side.
SouthernProgrammer(04/17/2007)
Avid - Re, getting high with Mickey watching. I wouldn't doubt if Disney policy is to conduct yourself as if you are a constant representative of Disney. My current company has a policy like that. Generally when people find out where I work they will comment on the product my company makes and if ANYONE has a negative comment about the product I am supposed to find out why and try to rectify the situation...even though I am a programmer!
HaveADamnNiceDay(04/19/2007)
I get the impression that Disney is very anal about the way its employees conduct themselves. My own paternal grandmother worked at Disneyland in CA and actually got special recognition from Walt Disney himself when he had to line up some slackers and fire them. He went up to her and said, "Mrs. HADND, you are doing an excellent job! Keep it up!" and then he continued down the line of slackers.... I'm glad that today he isn't rolling in his grave....
CaliforniaLighthouse(11/07/2009)
It's amazing how Disneyland has such great cast members because they treat their employees like trash!
Livesthere(01/07/2010)
Been to WDW lately? In all the shops are Chinese people here on six month "internships." In other words Disney pays them squat and there are more even minimum wage jobs that Americans can't get in their own country.
UnsupportedSupport(03/02/2010)
I noticed the Chinese employees a while back, but that was because they were training to open the new park in Hong Kong. My wife worked there a few years ago. I would be happy every day too if my health and dental for the whole family still cost less than $40 a month.
I have also noticed a big difference between Disney World and Disneyland. Other than their obvious castle envy, they were incredibly understaffed having only one person running an entire ride. And not a basic ride like teacups or something, I am talking about the Matterhorn. I would be pretty ticked if I were treated that way in spite of the great benefits.
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