Yet More Questions For CMs

[ThemeParkCommando]

Hello--

I've been lurking on your board recently. I was registered at one point under a different screen name, but it's been so long that I figured that I might as well reregister.

Anyway...

I'll be working at Cedar Point this summer, which provides low cost housing to employees who are coming from a distance. I don't anticipate ever working for Disney, but if there's one thing that I've learned in my life, it's "never say never." Since I know--unlike some--that Disney doesn't bus you in and you don't have housing hidden in the park's hedges , I have a few questions:

1) How close do you live to the parks? How long is your commute?
2) How do you afford to live in (or near) Orlando on what they pay you, particularly if you don't live with a working spouse or significant other? Roommates?
3) Does Disney ever provide housing for seasonal employees? People from abroad? I'm pretty sure they do for interns.

On an unrelated note, I noticed on the listing of jobs on their official website that they didn't seem to have a listing for janitorial work, just skilled maintenance positions. I found this curious. Someone's gotta keep the park clean, right? I'm working as a Sweep this summer because I want to be able to move about the park and not to the same spiel over and over. Which reminds me of another question:

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

Thanks for your input. I love your site!

Cheers,
Vanessa

[CMGUY89]

1) How close do you live to the parks? How long is your commute?

I live about 5 minutes from Epcot. I am literally across I-4 from DTD.
2) How do you afford to live in (or near) Orlando on what they pay you, particularly if you don't live
with a working spouse or significant other? Roommates?

I have a roommate, if you do your investigation you can find nice affordable apartments.
3) Does Disney ever provide housing for seasonal employees? People from abroad? I'm pretty sure they do for interns.

They do not provide housing for seasonal, trust me I asked. International College Program and College Program get housing and transportation under their contract. The housing is payroll deducted.

On an unrelated note, I noticed on the listing of jobs on their official website that they didn't seem to have a listing for janitorial work, just skilled maintenance positions. I found this curious. Someone's gotta keep the park clean, right? I'm working as a Sweep this summer because I want to be able to move about the park and not to the same spiel over and over. Which reminds me of another question:

You are probably looking at disney careers.com which is more professional recruiting. If you want custodial go to WDWCareers.com

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

If by spiel you mean safety instructions, etc. Then you just get into the habit of it. Every once in a while you can change it up with some humor if it won't get you in trouble. The one thing about this job is the amount of repetitive procedures that you have to do. I tell people to keep their hands inside the boat dozens of times a day. It can get frustrating but if you love the job enough you just get over it.
As for answering the same questions over and over that is just something you have to get over. I tell people where Soarin' is dozens of times every day. If they walked inside the building they would have no problem but instead they have to ask me. You get over it and joke with your co-workers about it.

[Shorty82]

1) How close do you live to the parks? How long is your commute?

Right now I'm about 5-10 minutes from the MK cast parking lot. Soon I'll hopefully be moving to my own place in Winter Garden and will be about 20 minutes from the parking lot.

2) How do you afford to live in (or near) Orlando on what they pay you, particularly if you don't live with a working spouse or significant other? Roommates?

I did my research and found an affordable apartment complex. I'll be doing with out cable TV and a few other things but I can live without them. I'll have to get Internet though, gotta have that.

3) Does Disney ever provide housing for seasonal employees? People from abroad? I'm pretty sure they do for interns.

Disney provides housing for the international and college program cast members, everybody else is mostly on their own. Cast Services does have a list of affordable places to live and will assist some in finding a place.

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

Don't ask me, I'm in merchandise. The number of times I had to tell people to go back into the smoking area (there is one right outside one of the shops I was in today) with their cigarette drove me a little nuts today though. A number of guests wandered out of the area or lit up outside of it completely. It's simple but guests don't seem to get it, if there is an ashtray within 10 feet you're most likely inside the smoking area. If not you are not in the smoking area. The sign with an arrow on it and saying "Smoking Area" tells you where to go to smoke, it does not mark the smoking area itself.

[socaldork]

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

I've been telling people to touch tidepool critters, stingrays, sharks and other animals as an aquarium docent "very lightly, and gently along their back/in their tentacles with two fingers" for six years. After the first few days I had crazy dreams about the two finger touch spiel and then my brain got over it.

It was listening to the same music cue over and over every few minutes from an educational video next to an exhibit I work that for some reason took the longest to get over.

[bpgstudios]

...I have a few questions:

1) How close do you live to the parks? How long is your commute?

Since I'm a full time student, I'm actually about 45 minutes from the Magic Kingdom.

3) Does Disney ever provide housing for seasonal employees? People from abroad? I'm pretty sure they do for interns.

The only people they provide housing for is the College and International Program CMs. There are a few houses on Disney property though, and I've heard they are rented out to some upper level managers so Lake Buena Vista can vote.

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

I change my spiels every once in a while, adding and improving on them so I don't get bored with them. Music doesn't phase me at all either, when you are so busy focusing on what needs to be done (grouping guests, dispatch, strollers, etc.) you don't even hear repetitive music or safety spiels. The only safety spiel I really 'hear' is the Spanish one for Pooh. It starts off with this annoying "Hola!" that sounds like dora the explorer.

[Theme Park Where]

1) How close do you live to the parks? How long is your commute?

I'm in Winter Garden too, about 30 minutes from Disney and 40 or so from Universal.

2) How do you afford to live in (or near) Orlando on what they pay you, particularly if you don't live with a working spouse or significant other? Roommates?

No roommates or significant other unless you count the crazy pets. I make a little bit more since I'm now "office & technical" (or administrative assistant in real world terms), but I still struggle sometimes. I can now afford a satellite dish and internet, and I go to the movies every once in awhile, but I also still sometimes make frantic phone calls to my parents to help bail me out when I come up just a bit short on rent. Luckily, they live right down the street so they're good for a free meal every so often too!

I think your other questions were pretty well answered werent' they?

So, where are you living at Cedar Point? I was overnight housing supervisor at the Cedars many moons ago. I still miss CP sometimes!

[mechurchlady]

I have heard that at Disneyland the CMs got housing for $10 a night. That is what the log cabin and teepees are for. That is the only way to afford california. Purpura is rumoured to be paying $15 a day to live in the castle dungion.

[Randy B]

I have heard that at Disneyland the CMs got housing for $10 a night. That is what the log cabin and teepees are for. That is the only way to afford california. Purpura is rumoured to be paying $15 a day to live in the castle dungion.

But it's an unfurnished dungeon. The residents have to supply their own chains and rats. :D:

Randy (kinda sounds like a place I am soon to move out of)

[Sarah Magdalene]

1. I'm in Davenport, FL - about 30 mins from the Parks.

Everyone else answered the other questions.

[Zazu]

1) How close do you live to the parks?

I live eight miles due east of Spaceship Earth.

How long is your commute?

I can drive to the entrance arch in 15 minutes, but it's almost 30 minutes to my present cast parking lot.

2) How do you afford to live in (or near) Orlando on what they pay you, particularly if you don't live with a working spouse or significant other?

I retired first. Plus I married well.

Roommates?

No thanks, SWMBO and two cats are enough.

3) Does Disney ever provide housing for seasonal employees?

Not for "seasonal" cast, but the definition of that may differ from what you think it means.

People from abroad?

Only those on the International Program and the College Program.

I'm pretty sure they do for interns.

Depends on the internship. If it's an advanced internship thru the College Program, yes. If it's a culinary internship, no. There may be others.

On an unrelated note, I noticed on the listing of jobs on their official website that they didn't seem to have a listing for janitorial work, just skilled maintenance positions. I found this curious.

We're always hiring Custodial, but those go through Casting, which doesn't list on the web. Maintenance and technical positions are hired through a different process.

4) How do ride attendants and guides do the same spiel over and over without going mad?

Who says we don't?

Seriously, it's much like working in a play where you have the same lines every night -- only this show runs a lot more frequently. Plus, a lot of what we have to say is safety-related, and since I don't want any of my guests to stupid-out and get hurt, I *want* to give the same warnings to everyone.

Some good questions there.