Disney Store Employee Reviews about "cast members"

Pros

Making little guests happy and the magic. Being able to work for the company that is as successful as they are and learn how to be the best in guest service.

Cons

Not getting enough hours and being in constant flux daily because of store earnings (as a part time cast member). And not enough room for growth

Pros

-If you love Disney, this will be particularly exciting for you. -Generally, the people you work with are decent and I've had some pretty fantastic managers at my location (though I know this is by no means ubiquitous; Managers really help set the tone for the store so definitely trust your gut during the interview, if you don't jive with the Manager this will probably be an extremely difficult job). You'll have a common point of reference (Disney) so that helps to build some degree of camaraderie between Cast Members, which is incredibly helpful if you're working while sick or in a bad mood, or during the November-January rush. You can pump each other up because you're all aware that maintaining the magical, peppy attitude Disney asks for can be difficult 24/7/365. -Nice perks. Discount and passes. Particularly useful if you find yourself purchasing lots of things for kids. -Option for volunteering in the local community with other Cast Members. How well this goes over depends on the person organizing it, so experiences will definitely vary store-to-store. (Note: Volunteering isn't a requirement of working at the Store, but some might like it.)

Cons

-The pay is not something to write home about, especially considering the level of expectations placed on you (which can be terribly intimidating at first, or when ill and working. Being peppy all the time can be hard.). Best as a second job or just to get some retail experience (you will definitely get all the pros and cons of retail). -Little opportunity for career advancement so if that's what you're seeking don't start as a Cast Member because you'll get nowhere (again, best as a second job or just to get some retail experience). Everything below is mostly manager-dependent, so if you have a good managerial team you'll have a fantastic time, if you don't then you won't. I have a pretty fantastic managerial team, but here are some concerns that I can see being more problematic with a different team: -Hours are incredibly varied and you get a ton of on-call shifts (2-3 a week), which makes planning your week out difficult. (Seasonal Cast Members be particularly wary of this. Depending on how busy the store is, you probably won't have many hours at all.) Again, best as a second job or just to get some retail experience. (Sidenote: There's a lot of turn over, since most employees are postsecondary students. Be prepared for those changes.) If your managers are good, they will be understanding about the need for some flexibility or stability, depending on your needs, and will do what they can to facilitate it. -Managers across stores can be cliquey, which can result in some awkwardness for non-managers (witnessing the gossip your managers participate in about other managers in the district can be awkward). I wasn't terribly bothered by it myself, but I find it easy to ignore gossip and cliquey attitudes. I know others were more bothered by it. However, my managers are pretty awesome and mentioning that the gossip makes you uncomfortable would likely help. They would at least move the gossip to the office. -Some favouritism, nothing unexpected. People tend to gravitate towards people who bring treats or visit frequently when not on-shift (which some other Cast Members do, I've never been the type to do either), so there's some minor favouritism shown to those individuals. In my store it's nothing major or worrisome, it doesn't affect scheduling or anything, but I can imagine it being worse for other stores.

Pros

Used to have great perks. Cast members are genuine. Possibility for magical moments.

Cons

Management doesn't care about people. Pay. Safety.

Pros

The brand itself is great. Good perks - discount and access to the Disney theme parks. One of the better retail jobs out there.

Cons

No assistance with progression Too much is required of the 'Senior Cast Member' role - no store manager or district manager seems to agree on what the role should entail. The hourly rate is not worth it, you are expected to perform as a manager for a few pennies more than regular Cast Members. Irregularity of shifts and hours given to work.