[Paul S]

My friend's child is going to work for Disney. She works at the Disney Store at the mall now, and she just got back from an interview in Orlando and she's transferring down. She'll probably be working in one of the retail shops at AK. She loves all things Disney, and really likes working at the Disney Store. Do you think that working at the Kingdom would diminish the love we all have for it? I've often thought about moving to FL and working there in lieu of the meet & greet at Wal Mart in my retirement, so I ask for that reason, too.

[Paul S]

I said child, but she's 23. I just realized I feel like an old goat at 33 compared to her. When did I start thinking of 23 year olds as kids instead of peers? :nooo:

[aurora'stwin]

Since when was a 23 year old a child?!!...j/k;)

I too have also pondered if moving down there and working at the park would be a spoiler to the magic. I personally think that by working there, you would just know more about the place. And plus the resort is so big, that you could still enjoy the rest of it, even though one area will remind you of work!

[tinkerbell]

I think it would make it even better .. but thats only how I feel it would be for me.. I have dreams of one or both of my granddaughters some day working for Disney :)
as for 23 being a child .. I am so old that 30 is a child to me

[crystalrp]

NO it wouldn't ruin the magic. This way she gets to SPREAD it!! :)

[Paul S]

I've never met a disgruntled Disney employee. They all seem to be quite gruntled indeed.

:D

[kphil89]

That is my goal one day! I work full time now and I often joke with my DH that if I ever loose my FT job then I will definately go to work at the DS

[Screever]

Hey ya'll...I'm new here so...hey ya'll! :D

Wow the WDWCP forum is so small...I ougtta make it bigger! I was once a CP (short for college kid who loves Disney and has nothing better to do). I worked in the MK at Plaza Pavilion in Tomorrowland, Spring 2003. Here's what I have to say...

My thoughts about last spring is, as Marlin would say "a complicated emotion." I loved it and I hated it. To be quite frank, sometimes the happiest place on earth would turn into the happiest heck on earth. But I believe that was mostly due to some roomates I had trouble getting along with. ;)

For me, the magic wasn't entirely ruined. It depends on how much of a kid she is. I was 19 at the time, but I act like I'm 10. :p True, being in the "underground metropolis" of the MK (it's really not that great) and seeing Piglet's head on a shelf (oh, d-d-dear!)...over-hearing rumors about the next movies or attractions and not being able to tell anyone (we signed contracts with our blood)...were quite unnerving at first. But it was overall a magical experience save for my living environment. Like most things in life you learn to bite the bullet and get through the unpleasantness...when you first learn that your second paycheck was indeed $2.97 or less, or having to work on days when you don't feel well/just don't want to/don't believe you should (ie Christmas, Easter), or having to deal with other unhappy guests and even grumpy co-cast (yes, it DOES happen.)

I have some unpleasant memories, and the cash flow wasn't anything to boast about, but on the whole I felt it was a real growth for me and the magic, for the most part, is definitely still there!

I'm just glad I never did the walkthrough of the Tower of Terror with the lights on...that would have ruined some magic for me BIG time.

[PVHNat]

It won't ruin the magic!! I worked there for seven months, if anything, it made me feel more special cause I was spreading the magic. The only thing that will kill it is the little things- seeing Mickey's head on a shelf (woah!) and riding Rockin Rollercoaster with the lights on (it's now not that exciting to me for some reason).

[KarenWDWCP]

I worked at WDW for five months on the College Program in 2000 and it definitely did not ruin the magic for me! It only made me that much more intrigued by and obsessed with all things Disney. I worked in "merchantainment" in the Studios and it was the most fun job I have ever had. Sure there were always some headaches and getting to see some of the behind the scenes stuff took away some of the mystery but never the magic!

In fact one of my favorite memories of working in WDW was when I worked an overnight shift (I volunteered!) to help rearrange the set up of the store. It was an amazing experience. There were at least 10 of us working all night together in the store just moving everything around while the overnight work of the park happened around us. The lights and the music stay on all night, long after the guests go home. It was amazing to see large trucks with hoses and lawnmowers driving right down Hollywood Blvd and seeing so many people out on the streets sweeping and washing and cleaning with the lights of the Studios still glimmering. And seeing the sun come up over the park was something I will never forget. It really made me realize how much work really goes into making that Disney magic and that just made me appreciate the magic that much more!

And like they told us when our college program ended, "you take the magic with you!"

Karen
:)

[monorailgoof]

It sounds like you guys had a great experience. I too think it would not ruin the magic!
Great Post

[Huakai]

Just a bit of second hand info. My daughter was there in the college program Fall 2003 (for 7 months) and worked merchantainment in Epcot and also did hotel delivery pickup backstage. We were a little concerned about it ruining the magic for her (she was 23 when she went) but she loved it.....low pay and all!! I think she was the happiest while she was there and now that she is home, she wants to just escape the real world and go back. She has an open door invitation to return for management training but feels she has to finish her degree. In her discussions with friends she met there that have done other college programs, they have said this one was the hardest to leave and readjust to the real world after leaving. I think there are a few who don't do as well, but from what she has shared with me, the biggest majority can see past the internal workings and still experience the magic. Where else can you work at a place and on your day off, go there for just the pure fun of it???

[KarenWDWCP]

I completely agree, Huakai! I am glad your daughter had such a great time. And she is right, readjustment to the "real world" was tough afterwards, very tough! Even though I was working full time on my college program (sometimes even up to 50+ hours/week) I always kind of felt like I was on a permanent vacation. Just think of how hard it is to leave WDW after a 5 or 7 day vacation and then imagine how hard it is to leave after 5,6 or 7 months! :laugh

[tinkerbell]

while we were at the Pop Century last week, we meet a really sweet girl that was working in the WDW CP .. she said she loved it and was really going to be heart broken when it was over. She was so much fun and was talking to just about everyone.
personally I think I could clean up behind the horses at WDW and still it wouldnt ruin it for me :)

[JOANN]

As much as we all here love the mouse. I really don't think working there would make a difference!!!!
My niece and nephew both worked at DW for the college program, and they loved it!!:heart Niece worked at Typhoon Lagoon as a lifeguard, and my nephew in retail at Epcot!!! They said they would do it again in a heart beat!!!! :) JOANN