Complaint Review: Disney World Walt Disney World Resort Disneyworld - Buena Vista Florida

MArvin, FYI!!California disney park was built BEFORE florida!! California is the original disney park!! As far as disney have been there 2 times and each time we paid no more than $7 to park. The parks were clean and we had hardly no wait except when we went at Christmas time which was to be expected.

Nikki, you hit the nail on the head, which was my original theme, but somehow, we all were side-tracked. The start of some of the complaints was about how much Disney makes and how bad they treat their employees. Florida is a right to work state and either can terminate employment at any time. Also, pay rate, level of benefits, and promotions are not government regulated issues (other than minimum wage and, unemployment compensation, and disability compensation). The bottom line is that if you work for ANY employer that you think is mistreating you, move on or file a complaint. If you go to Disney, see it through the eyes of the babies, not your eyes. If you think they charge too much or abuse employees, then go some other place. Walt Disney also loved children, and never started this whole thing with just the idea of making billions. Maybe Cinderella's Castle is not 4 star, but it was to two very little angels that day. And that is what everything was about. These two babies did not complain about anything that whole day, only the adults acted like children. Does Disney charge too much? Probably. Do they mistreat employees? Possible also, just like fast food, convenient stores and grocery stores do. Are you going to boycott Kangaroo or KFC because of one grievance? Feel free to do so, as I also boycot several chain stores because issues with them. As you reminded all of us, Nikki, this is not about us, this is about the little ones. If you like, take them there and show them a good time. If you don't like, take them somewhere else and have a good time. That bottom line is, let the kids be kids and leave your adult issues at home for one day.

I really didn't want to drag out this post, but I really feel this needs to be said. We go to these places for our kids. Our children hear about Disney all their lives and for some, it is a dream vacation. When we parents complain about things like the lines, heat, etc., we are really letting our kids down. Granted, it's now a world where our kids are let down often, but let's try to make these dream vacations for our kids memorable (happy) not sad. I know, it's very hectic to go on a kid's vacation and we parents usually need another vacation to recoup from the kid's vacation. But let's put our best foot forward for our kids, pretend like we're happy, pretend like we're having the greatest time in our lives. I know my children have even more fun when they know I am having fun with them. Even though they are complaining while in line, in a few months, they won't remember the lines, or the heat unless they hear us rant about it. They'll remember they got to go to Disney. Isn't that what's most important?

I've only been to DW twice. Once as a kid, and the second time was for a business convention that we had at DW itself. The convention was for about 1400 people. As a kid, I really didn't care about cost and value. It was just about the rides. As an adult, I left that convention with this: DW is not cheap. I would even say it's expensive- but you get what you pay for. DW is high quality. Everything I ate was good- right down to the chicken nuggets. I can never, ever remember thinking the food at any amusement park was good- let alone chicken nuggets from anywhere. Yeah, I had more than these nuggets there, but it was at this point I realized what a quality place DW is. Every employee I saw was smiling and extremely helpful. They acted like they were genuinely glad to be there. My room was clean and comfortable. The facilites were extremely well maintained. The park was clean and well maintained. The grounds were impeccable. All in all it was absolutely great. I will be taking my family there and I will gladly pay big bucks to do it. Worth every penny. In my opinion, there are few things worse than paying a lot of money for a family trip and then regretting it. With DW, I know I will never regret it.

Yes, camping can cost a fortune, expecially when you have to rent two cabins for 8 people. Everything anywhere near the Orlando area is close too, if not more than, double the cost of most of the state. If we had tried to stay closer to Orlando, we would have paid even more than did. Maybe your idea of camping is living in tents, sleeping on the ground, and eat beenie weenie's out of the can. If that is the case, you can get by real cheap. For others, camping cabins, good steaks to cook over the fire, and everything else that goes with a several day stay costs alot for 8 people. Maybe 4 star was stretching it a little, but I had some excellent tenderloin and roasted potatoes and my girlfriend had a perfectly grilled chicken entree with polenta. Maybe not 4 star, but it was aleast two steps above those chicken nuggets we suffered for lunch. The meal was prepared perfectly, served in courses that were perfectly timed to our eating pace, and was really an enjoyable experience. And yes, it was 4 star to the little ones, for whom the entire trip was completely about. Yes, us "Rednecks" are a hoot, even the ones like us who don't live in trailers.

Camping costs a fortune? 4 star dining at the Cinderella castle? Maybe for a 5 year old. You rednecks really are a hoot. I suppose the Disney campground probably IS better than the trailer park you live in.

I also went to Disney when my twin 5 year old grandchildren were down here, with family. We spent a fortune. we camped at a campground near Titusville to save a little money, but we still spent a fortune. We had 6 adults and the two children (although I think sometimes, we had 2 adults and 6 children. never mind, I'll skip that part). We spent a fortune on the camping. we spent a fortune on food, even before we hit the park. then, we finally made it to Magic Kingdom, and spent another fortune. Guess what? We knew we would, and planned and saved for it. Did we get pictures and autographs of all the characters? No, sadly, we only got one. we couldn't manage to get any others, so we had dinner at Cinderella's Castle at a cost of about $320.00. Before you choke, think about it. 4 star meal for only $40 a person, tip and drinks included (and no, I didn't stiff a cheap tip), plus a show with all the Cinderella characters dancing and singing, and an autograph and FREE picture posing with Cinderella. not a little one. an 8x10 full color glossy, a couple 4x6s, and some wallets pics too, all at no extra charge. I can eat places in Gainesville, FL where I live that cost more, the food less quality, and no Cinderella and ALL of her entourage dancing and singing while we ate. Yes, we only had one photo and one autograph that day, but we made it a family day. Until this day, our Grandchildren still talk about how much fun they had and never complained about a line or picture or autograph they didn't get. Instead, they brag about how much fun they had and our granddaughter even took her picture with Cinderella back to pre-K for show-and-tell to let everyone know that "Cinderella is a real person. I met her for real and I know". If someone makes a lot of money from this, good. Last I checked, it was illegal to go into business without the intent to make a profit. Profit is not a bad or illegal thing. I was the one willing to pay the price and when I am no longer will to pay that price, I will stop going. To me, it was worth every penny to let my grandchildren (and others even as adults who have never been) see it once. If you charge more than I am willing to pay, I will go elsewhere with my wallet. You to have that choice. If you work there and are mistreated, file a complaint with the government on how you are treated and/or leave. I'm sorry you are underpaid, have no benefits and/or mistreated. Most of us have been there before, as I have worked for the "pimps" that constitute "contract labor" who don't pay insurance, retirement, time off, or overtime, and pay only 1/2 what the permanent employees get. When I could, I left for something better. Your telephone/data provider does this also, (I know this personally) as well as your ISP. Should we boycott telephones and internet service providers because they mistreat people? I am truely sorry if Walt Disney, Inc (or whatever) mistreats you, but I'm not going to change it. I might never go back again, so boycott doesn't work. It is like saying "Boycott Walmart because some of the shoes they sell might be made by Korean children making 10 cents an hour". So, you want me to stop buying dog food from Walmart? That will stop them from selling shoes! If that is the case, I am sincerely sorry for all the abuses, but I guess I'm just not a tree-hugger at heart. You can't stop the problem by pleading to the consumer, this one has to be fixed by official complaint, or if necessary, lawsuit. If next time I plan to go to Magic Kindgom, I have to pay 15% more because you won your lawsuit, I will either go and pay the price, or take that wallet full of plastic and sweat somewhere else. The bottom line is: 1) If you want to show your kids a good time at ANY park in Florida or elsewhere, it costs money. get over it: sooner or later, you will pay off those credit cards you maxed out and the kids will talk about it for the rest of their lives. I am far from rich, but found a way to save enough for one big-time show. 2) If you don't want to chase characters all over the park, reserve lunch or dinner at one of the places where characters entertain, such as Cinderella's Castle. The cost is not that much for a gourmet meal, the entertainment is worth the extra cost, and you are guaranteed a picture and autograph before you even sit down. Not to mention, if you go elsewhere, you will pay at least 1/2 or 2/3s that amount to stand in a long line for hamburgers or chicken nuggets, then fight for a table without catsup on it! 3) If you are really worried about people who are underpaid, cheated, have no benefits, sacrifice for cut hours, and are treated badly by their employers, then I suggest you boycott 100% of the fast food places, 90% of the department stores, and at least 85% of the grocery stores, plus most other customer service businesses in the state of Florida! While I would not live in Orlando for $9 an hour, I also don't have to move to Orlando. As a last note, I was previously critisized by family for "planning vacations" too much, to which I plead guilty. Try this. don't plan the vacation, let some of it fly. You don't have to by steaks on sale 3 weeks before, you can buy meat just about anywhere in the US any time of the year. Just look for "smart ways" to combine things, such as kids, food, and entertainment at mealtimes. If you are also guilty of being a "planner", you can let the schedule go, but still "scheme" a few things to get that picture and autograph! :-) (by the way, dear, you must RESERVE dinner. that's called "planning".) (*ouch* skillet hurts!)

Disney is a rip off. I suggest we get a blog or something going and have people actually stop and think of other places to go on vacation. Only then will Disney stop and think about customer service. I have yet to receive customer service from them, just many "I am sorry -- but" comments. The one time they offered to rectify my problem, it must have been a scam, as I found out recently it was not rectified. My daughter used to work for Disney as an entertainer. I visited the parks regularly and saw the parents pulling their kids along, the kids hot, tired, actually crying at Disney and the parents saying, "we paid lots of money to come here - we are staying and you are going to enjoy it". I even saw parents slap their kids to get them to "straighten up" because they were tired and hot and crying. The only people who really enjoy it are the Florida residents who get "deals" and can go whenever they want, not during a rushed week or two week vacation where you feel you "have to do everything" for your child while there and you end up arguing with them and slapping them??!! Yep, I would say this is a great and happy place to take your kids. Everyone says "if you do your homework" it is cheaper!! Who wants to spend 20 hours figuring out the cheapest ways, the "Disney" secrets before they go on vacation?? Disney is the one that should make it easy for you, not the other way around...any package plan they offer is complicated and usually is never what they say it is. I ran across a former employee on the internet who is "selling" her secrets for $21.00!! Wow, why doesn't she just set up a web page for FREE and give out this information...because Disney trains them on how to make money and screw people over. Only one way people, QUIT GOING...I know it would hurt and you will probably die if you never make it there, but believe me, there are many other places you can go to actually have a "family" vacation and come back with a renewed spirit, money left in your pocket book and kids that are actually happy. I had a friend who recently went on a Disney cruise and she HATED it. They had to pay extra for everything, it was crowded, she came back crying and is telling everyone she knows not to go. She is doing this because she actually cares about her family and friends and does not want them to fall for the same scam she did. I am doing this because I want people to know as the former employee has written in these reports that Disney is NOT what you think it is, they only care for your $$, plain and simple. And no, I WILL NEVER GO BACK AGAIN!!!!

Some of the ripoff reports here are so funny to read! Come on, a company as big as Disney is going to have some problems along the way, but they will always do whatever it takes to make amends to their guests. For instance, before I started to work here, I took my son and daughter to Disney for my daughter's 7 birthday. It was February, and it was cold and rainy. My son was in a rain poncho and he was in stroller (he was 2 at the time). We were in a huge hurry to get to the Pirates of the Carribean ride, because we were going to have dinner, and my daughter jsut had to go on it. I was running pushing the stroller while my husband ran with our daughter. Suddenly my son who had on the stroller strap was ripped out of the stroller (I later found out that the poncho had gotten stuck in the wheels, and ripped him completely out) he fell on his face with the pacifier in his mouth. He was full of blood, and we were not sure where it was all coming from. All of a sudden two men dressed in white shirts ran out scooped up my baby, and quickly showed their Disny ID. They said to follow them to the first aid clinic. One man was completely covered in blood, but he did not care. Once we arrived at the clinic, the nurse immediately called and Alpha Unit (ambulance) and my husband and son went to the hospital while a cast member drove my daughter and I to our car. The cast member saw how upset and worried we were, and when she saw the birthday pin my daughter had on, she stopped at some trailer backstage and said she would be right back. She came out with stuffed Mickey's and Minnie's, sweatshirts su=igned by Mickey for both of the kids, and 4 free passes back to the park to use whenever we wanted. She than asked me to fill out a form of what happened, and my daughter was telling her that we were going to miss our Dining Reservation at 400 park fare (with the princesses). DO you know that cast member called later that evening to let me know that she had set up reservations for us to go to dinner before we left town? My story shows, Disney cares. It is all about the kids. That is why I decided to become a part of the magic at WDW. I am a cast member of one of the higher end resorts, and I will agree that that the pay is not the highest, I cannot imagine working any where else in the industry. Do you know how many smiling little faces I see on a day to day basis? These children are just so happy to be here. In fact Disney sponors Give Kids the World which is for children who have cancer, most of whom are terminally ill. Imagine what it is like for not only the children to come here and forget about their illness, but what about the parents of these children? I have seen many children come in whom have made it their dying wish just to come to Walt Disney World. It is just amazing to see them so happy! For the woman who posted that the wait for the characters is too long, come on! It is about 90+ degrees inside those costumes. If you were too hot waiting to see them, how do you think that cast member felt inside that costume? Also, I have never seen the parking prices at $10-$15. Currently it is $9.00 to park and that is for ALL 4 parks all day long. Why would you come to the parks an hour before close anyway? No common sense there! The other woman who posted that she was mistreated due to her handicap, I really feel that this was an unfortunate mishap for the entire length of your stay. However, I work at one of the resorts, and I do know that most of the time the buses run every 15-20 minutes apart. Sometimes though, you must take into consideration that you are not the only one who is waiting for the bus. (for instance, the bust that serves your hotel also serves 3 or 4 other hotels, and may have filled up.) If you were there in the morning there was probably a cast member out there recording the bus times, and that cast member has a radio to call other buses in. That also can be determined on the extra magic hours. More people are going to the park that has the extra hours, and you can sure bet that they are taking advantage of the free rids to the park. Also, traffic can be a consideration. I must say that I have never seen one of the bus drivers discriminate against the handicapped. Everytime I see someone in an ECV or wheelchair, the bus driver ALWAYS asks the other guests to please refrain from entering the bus and they will than get off the bus and help that person first and foremost. To the disgruntled ex-cast member, I am sorry that you feel this way. I know from my experience at the park though, there are always new positions with higher pay opening up, and Disney will never stop you from moving up in the company. I know a few cast members who were hourly when I first started, and now they are salaried managers of their department. It is always sad to see someone put down such a wonderful company who does so much for others! In fact there are hundreds upon hundreds of cast members who have made Diney their life long career. Many have been there for 20+ years, and love every moment of it. I do agree that it is hard to keep a smmile on your face all of the time, especially if you have not had a good day, but I know that when I have had a miserable day, it makes me feel musch better to smile and see happy guests. I do not agree with you about the benefits. Disney has great benefits. There is medical, dental and vision. Disney will also work with cast members who have children. (There are 2 YMCA's on property that are open 18 hours a day, and charge a fraction of the price of a regular day care. Also the cast members have first priority to place their children there as oppossed to the general public.) Disney works with the community to get the retailers to offer cast member discounts on a number of things. These range from buying a house or car to dinner reservations at some of Orlando's nicest resteraunts. I understand that many people have conspiracy theories about Disney, but what it all really boils down to is that Disney is a wonderful place to visit and work. I do not know one cast member who is so unhappy to be their. They know that they can always move up a position and try it out. I do understand on the guest point of view that they pay alot of money to visit here. Disney is not cheap. But neither is Sea World, Universal, or any of the other major theme parks. You pay for quality and service. Sometimes with a place as big as this, things may not always work out as you planned. I can tell you though if you let a manager know that something has gone wrong on your vacation at Disney, they will bend over backwords to make it right for you. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. These are just my thoughts of what I have seen as a cast member who loves her job. I do understand that not everyone sees the magic that Disney and it's cast members create on a daily basis, but it is nice to know that I can depend on a com

Some of the ripoff reports here are so funny to read! Come on, a company as big as Disney is going to have some problems along the way, but they will always do whatever it takes to make amends to their guests. For instance, before I started to work here, I took my son and daughter to Disney for my daughter's 7 birthday. It was February, and it was cold and rainy. My son was in a rain poncho and he was in stroller (he was 2 at the time). We were in a huge hurry to get to the Pirates of the Carribean ride, because we were going to have dinner, and my daughter jsut had to go on it. I was running pushing the stroller while my husband ran with our daughter. Suddenly my son who had on the stroller strap was ripped out of the stroller (I later found out that the poncho had gotten stuck in the wheels, and ripped him completely out) he fell on his face with the pacifier in his mouth. He was full of blood, and we were not sure where it was all coming from. All of a sudden two men dressed in white shirts ran out scooped up my baby, and quickly showed their Disny ID. They said to follow them to the first aid clinic. One man was completely covered in blood, but he did not care. Once we arrived at the clinic, the nurse immediately called and Alpha Unit (ambulance) and my husband and son went to the hospital while a cast member drove my daughter and I to our car. The cast member saw how upset and worried we were, and when she saw the birthday pin my daughter had on, she stopped at some trailer backstage and said she would be right back. She came out with stuffed Mickey's and Minnie's, sweatshirts su=igned by Mickey for both of the kids, and 4 free passes back to the park to use whenever we wanted. She than asked me to fill out a form of what happened, and my daughter was telling her that we were going to miss our Dining Reservation at 400 park fare (with the princesses). DO you know that cast member called later that evening to let me know that she had set up reservations for us to go to dinner before we left town? My story shows, Disney cares. It is all about the kids. That is why I decided to become a part of the magic at WDW. I am a cast member of one of the higher end resorts, and I will agree that that the pay is not the highest, I cannot imagine working any where else in the industry. Do you know how many smiling little faces I see on a day to day basis? These children are just so happy to be here. In fact Disney sponors Give Kids the World which is for children who have cancer, most of whom are terminally ill. Imagine what it is like for not only the children to come here and forget about their illness, but what about the parents of these children? I have seen many children come in whom have made it their dying wish just to come to Walt Disney World. It is just amazing to see them so happy! For the woman who posted that the wait for the characters is too long, come on! It is about 90+ degrees inside those costumes. If you were too hot waiting to see them, how do you think that cast member felt inside that costume? Also, I have never seen the parking prices at $10-$15. Currently it is $9.00 to park and that is for ALL 4 parks all day long. Why would you come to the parks an hour before close anyway? No common sense there! The other woman who posted that she was mistreated due to her handicap, I really feel that this was an unfortunate mishap for the entire length of your stay. However, I work at one of the resorts, and I do know that most of the time the buses run every 15-20 minutes apart. Sometimes though, you must take into consideration that you are not the only one who is waiting for the bus. (for instance, the bust that serves your hotel also serves 3 or 4 other hotels, and may have filled up.) If you were there in the morning there was probably a cast member out there recording the bus times, and that cast member has a radio to call other buses in. That also can be determined on the extra magic hours. More people are going to the park that has the extra hours, and you can sure bet that they are taking advantage of the free rids to the park. Also, traffic can be a consideration. I must say that I have never seen one of the bus drivers discriminate against the handicapped. Everytime I see someone in an ECV or wheelchair, the bus driver ALWAYS asks the other guests to please refrain from entering the bus and they will than get off the bus and help that person first and foremost. To the disgruntled ex-cast member, I am sorry that you feel this way. I know from my experience at the park though, there are always new positions with higher pay opening up, and Disney will never stop you from moving up in the company. I know a few cast members who were hourly when I first started, and now they are salaried managers of their department. It is always sad to see someone put down such a wonderful company who does so much for others! In fact there are hundreds upon hundreds of cast members who have made Diney their life long career. Many have been there for 20+ years, and love every moment of it. I do agree that it is hard to keep a smmile on your face all of the time, especially if you have not had a good day, but I know that when I have had a miserable day, it makes me feel musch better to smile and see happy guests. I do not agree with you about the benefits. Disney has great benefits. There is medical, dental and vision. Disney will also work with cast members who have children. (There are 2 YMCA's on property that are open 18 hours a day, and charge a fraction of the price of a regular day care. Also the cast members have first priority to place their children there as oppossed to the general public.) Disney works with the community to get the retailers to offer cast member discounts on a number of things. These range from buying a house or car to dinner reservations at some of Orlando's nicest resteraunts. I understand that many people have conspiracy theories about Disney, but what it all really boils down to is that Disney is a wonderful place to visit and work. I do not know one cast member who is so unhappy to be their. They know that they can always move up a position and try it out. I do understand on the guest point of view that they pay alot of money to visit here. Disney is not cheap. But neither is Sea World, Universal, or any of the other major theme parks. You pay for quality and service. Sometimes with a place as big as this, things may not always work out as you planned. I can tell you though if you let a manager know that something has gone wrong on your vacation at Disney, they will bend over backwords to make it right for you. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. These are just my thoughts of what I have seen as a cast member who loves her job. I do understand that not everyone sees the magic that Disney and it's cast members create on a daily basis, but it is nice to know that I can depend on a com

Some of the ripoff reports here are so funny to read! Come on, a company as big as Disney is going to have some problems along the way, but they will always do whatever it takes to make amends to their guests. For instance, before I started to work here, I took my son and daughter to Disney for my daughter's 7 birthday. It was February, and it was cold and rainy. My son was in a rain poncho and he was in stroller (he was 2 at the time). We were in a huge hurry to get to the Pirates of the Carribean ride, because we were going to have dinner, and my daughter jsut had to go on it. I was running pushing the stroller while my husband ran with our daughter. Suddenly my son who had on the stroller strap was ripped out of the stroller (I later found out that the poncho had gotten stuck in the wheels, and ripped him completely out) he fell on his face with the pacifier in his mouth. He was full of blood, and we were not sure where it was all coming from. All of a sudden two men dressed in white shirts ran out scooped up my baby, and quickly showed their Disny ID. They said to follow them to the first aid clinic. One man was completely covered in blood, but he did not care. Once we arrived at the clinic, the nurse immediately called and Alpha Unit (ambulance) and my husband and son went to the hospital while a cast member drove my daughter and I to our car. The cast member saw how upset and worried we were, and when she saw the birthday pin my daughter had on, she stopped at some trailer backstage and said she would be right back. She came out with stuffed Mickey's and Minnie's, sweatshirts su=igned by Mickey for both of the kids, and 4 free passes back to the park to use whenever we wanted. She than asked me to fill out a form of what happened, and my daughter was telling her that we were going to miss our Dining Reservation at 400 park fare (with the princesses). DO you know that cast member called later that evening to let me know that she had set up reservations for us to go to dinner before we left town? My story shows, Disney cares. It is all about the kids. That is why I decided to become a part of the magic at WDW. I am a cast member of one of the higher end resorts, and I will agree that that the pay is not the highest, I cannot imagine working any where else in the industry. Do you know how many smiling little faces I see on a day to day basis? These children are just so happy to be here. In fact Disney sponors Give Kids the World which is for children who have cancer, most of whom are terminally ill. Imagine what it is like for not only the children to come here and forget about their illness, but what about the parents of these children? I have seen many children come in whom have made it their dying wish just to come to Walt Disney World. It is just amazing to see them so happy! For the woman who posted that the wait for the characters is too long, come on! It is about 90+ degrees inside those costumes. If you were too hot waiting to see them, how do you think that cast member felt inside that costume? Also, I have never seen the parking prices at $10-$15. Currently it is $9.00 to park and that is for ALL 4 parks all day long. Why would you come to the parks an hour before close anyway? No common sense there! The other woman who posted that she was mistreated due to her handicap, I really feel that this was an unfortunate mishap for the entire length of your stay. However, I work at one of the resorts, and I do know that most of the time the buses run every 15-20 minutes apart. Sometimes though, you must take into consideration that you are not the only one who is waiting for the bus. (for instance, the bust that serves your hotel also serves 3 or 4 other hotels, and may have filled up.) If you were there in the morning there was probably a cast member out there recording the bus times, and that cast member has a radio to call other buses in. That also can be determined on the extra magic hours. More people are going to the park that has the extra hours, and you can sure bet that they are taking advantage of the free rids to the park. Also, traffic can be a consideration. I must say that I have never seen one of the bus drivers discriminate against the handicapped. Everytime I see someone in an ECV or wheelchair, the bus driver ALWAYS asks the other guests to please refrain from entering the bus and they will than get off the bus and help that person first and foremost. To the disgruntled ex-cast member, I am sorry that you feel this way. I know from my experience at the park though, there are always new positions with higher pay opening up, and Disney will never stop you from moving up in the company. I know a few cast members who were hourly when I first started, and now they are salaried managers of their department. It is always sad to see someone put down such a wonderful company who does so much for others! In fact there are hundreds upon hundreds of cast members who have made Diney their life long career. Many have been there for 20+ years, and love every moment of it. I do agree that it is hard to keep a smmile on your face all of the time, especially if you have not had a good day, but I know that when I have had a miserable day, it makes me feel musch better to smile and see happy guests. I do not agree with you about the benefits. Disney has great benefits. There is medical, dental and vision. Disney will also work with cast members who have children. (There are 2 YMCA's on property that are open 18 hours a day, and charge a fraction of the price of a regular day care. Also the cast members have first priority to place their children there as oppossed to the general public.) Disney works with the community to get the retailers to offer cast member discounts on a number of things. These range from buying a house or car to dinner reservations at some of Orlando's nicest resteraunts. I understand that many people have conspiracy theories about Disney, but what it all really boils down to is that Disney is a wonderful place to visit and work. I do not know one cast member who is so unhappy to be their. They know that they can always move up a position and try it out. I do understand on the guest point of view that they pay alot of money to visit here. Disney is not cheap. But neither is Sea World, Universal, or any of the other major theme parks. You pay for quality and service. Sometimes with a place as big as this, things may not always work out as you planned. I can tell you though if you let a manager know that something has gone wrong on your vacation at Disney, they will bend over backwords to make it right for you. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. These are just my thoughts of what I have seen as a cast member who loves her job. I do understand that not everyone sees the magic that Disney and it's cast members create on a daily basis, but it is nice to know that I can depend on a com

Some of the ripoff reports here are so funny to read! Come on, a company as big as Disney is going to have some problems along the way, but they will always do whatever it takes to make amends to their guests. For instance, before I started to work here, I took my son and daughter to Disney for my daughter's 7 birthday. It was February, and it was cold and rainy. My son was in a rain poncho and he was in stroller (he was 2 at the time). We were in a huge hurry to get to the Pirates of the Carribean ride, because we were going to have dinner, and my daughter jsut had to go on it. I was running pushing the stroller while my husband ran with our daughter. Suddenly my son who had on the stroller strap was ripped out of the stroller (I later found out that the poncho had gotten stuck in the wheels, and ripped him completely out) he fell on his face with the pacifier in his mouth. He was full of blood, and we were not sure where it was all coming from. All of a sudden two men dressed in white shirts ran out scooped up my baby, and quickly showed their Disny ID. They said to follow them to the first aid clinic. One man was completely covered in blood, but he did not care. Once we arrived at the clinic, the nurse immediately called and Alpha Unit (ambulance) and my husband and son went to the hospital while a cast member drove my daughter and I to our car. The cast member saw how upset and worried we were, and when she saw the birthday pin my daughter had on, she stopped at some trailer backstage and said she would be right back. She came out with stuffed Mickey's and Minnie's, sweatshirts su=igned by Mickey for both of the kids, and 4 free passes back to the park to use whenever we wanted. She than asked me to fill out a form of what happened, and my daughter was telling her that we were going to miss our Dining Reservation at 400 park fare (with the princesses). DO you know that cast member called later that evening to let me know that she had set up reservations for us to go to dinner before we left town? My story shows, Disney cares. It is all about the kids. That is why I decided to become a part of the magic at WDW. I am a cast member of one of the higher end resorts, and I will agree that that the pay is not the highest, I cannot imagine working any where else in the industry. Do you know how many smiling little faces I see on a day to day basis? These children are just so happy to be here. In fact Disney sponors Give Kids the World which is for children who have cancer, most of whom are terminally ill. Imagine what it is like for not only the children to come here and forget about their illness, but what about the parents of these children? I have seen many children come in whom have made it their dying wish just to come to Walt Disney World. It is just amazing to see them so happy! For the woman who posted that the wait for the characters is too long, come on! It is about 90+ degrees inside those costumes. If you were too hot waiting to see them, how do you think that cast member felt inside that costume? Also, I have never seen the parking prices at $10-$15. Currently it is $9.00 to park and that is for ALL 4 parks all day long. Why would you come to the parks an hour before close anyway? No common sense there! The other woman who posted that she was mistreated due to her handicap, I really feel that this was an unfortunate mishap for the entire length of your stay. However, I work at one of the resorts, and I do know that most of the time the buses run every 15-20 minutes apart. Sometimes though, you must take into consideration that you are not the only one who is waiting for the bus. (for instance, the bust that serves your hotel also serves 3 or 4 other hotels, and may have filled up.) If you were there in the morning there was probably a cast member out there recording the bus times, and that cast member has a radio to call other buses in. That also can be determined on the extra magic hours. More people are going to the park that has the extra hours, and you can sure bet that they are taking advantage of the free rids to the park. Also, traffic can be a consideration. I must say that I have never seen one of the bus drivers discriminate against the handicapped. Everytime I see someone in an ECV or wheelchair, the bus driver ALWAYS asks the other guests to please refrain from entering the bus and they will than get off the bus and help that person first and foremost. To the disgruntled ex-cast member, I am sorry that you feel this way. I know from my experience at the park though, there are always new positions with higher pay opening up, and Disney will never stop you from moving up in the company. I know a few cast members who were hourly when I first started, and now they are salaried managers of their department. It is always sad to see someone put down such a wonderful company who does so much for others! In fact there are hundreds upon hundreds of cast members who have made Diney their life long career. Many have been there for 20+ years, and love every moment of it. I do agree that it is hard to keep a smmile on your face all of the time, especially if you have not had a good day, but I know that when I have had a miserable day, it makes me feel musch better to smile and see happy guests. I do not agree with you about the benefits. Disney has great benefits. There is medical, dental and vision. Disney will also work with cast members who have children. (There are 2 YMCA's on property that are open 18 hours a day, and charge a fraction of the price of a regular day care. Also the cast members have first priority to place their children there as oppossed to the general public.) Disney works with the community to get the retailers to offer cast member discounts on a number of things. These range from buying a house or car to dinner reservations at some of Orlando's nicest resteraunts. I understand that many people have conspiracy theories about Disney, but what it all really boils down to is that Disney is a wonderful place to visit and work. I do not know one cast member who is so unhappy to be their. They know that they can always move up a position and try it out. I do understand on the guest point of view that they pay alot of money to visit here. Disney is not cheap. But neither is Sea World, Universal, or any of the other major theme parks. You pay for quality and service. Sometimes with a place as big as this, things may not always work out as you planned. I can tell you though if you let a manager know that something has gone wrong on your vacation at Disney, they will bend over backwords to make it right for you. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. These are just my thoughts of what I have seen as a cast member who loves her job. I do understand that not everyone sees the magic that Disney and it's cast members create on a daily basis, but it is nice to know that I can depend on a com

This is for Ginger: I'm very sorry about your experience. I wish you could have had a vacation like I have the seven times I've been to the park. I would suggest you phone someone at Disney. Don't ask for a regular Joe Blow manager. Tell them you want to speak to someone at the top. Keep asking until they give that person to you. Then tell them about your experience. This is NOT the kind of bad publicity that they want. I would hope they would offer a refund or a return trip with you treated like royalty, but you never know what will happen. Good Luck if you decide to report this!

To all of those seeking to run Disney in the ground I ask that you look into a childs face as she enters the property. Imagine what memories she is going to have as she grows up. You know Disney may not do everything right but if we were to be truly truthful with ourselves do we really do the right thing all the time? I dont think so. Also the next time you want to post Go to any store. Lets use wal-mart. If they had 100 employess at this store what do you think the percentage of ones who thought they were paid enough or given enough benefits would be? My guess it would be 85% or higher. While I am not saying that there may not be some valid complaints I just think that because disney is so large and concentreted in one spot it makes for a much larger target. Also, I would like to say that I am not nor have I ever been an employee of disney. I know that I have been there many many many times and have spoken to the employess there and I have never heard one say anything bad. One lady was telling me how you get presents the more years that you are there. I would also like to say that we live in the land of the free! No one tells us where we have to work or what store to shop at so the truth is if you dont like it move on. I have a job that has some great things about it and some bad ones. But, I stay because I know the money is good. You have to learn to pick your battles. If you are unhappy on your days off go job hunting. Keep in mind the grass is not always greener on the other side ( most of the time) good luck. Everyone should have peace in their hearts.

Below is a copy of the complaint I filed against Disney World. Their response to my complaint was to mail me entrance tickets to Disney World. I live in Texas, I am sure I am just going to jump in the car and run the kids up to Magic Kingdom in Orlando, FL for the day...GIVE ME A BREAK! Guest Services To whom it may concern: We experienced numerous problems during our vacation. I feel they are too numerous to list in this email. I will cover just a few of the most important issues here. June 18th. We arrived at the airport at approx. 9-9:30 am. We did not arrive at the hotel until 11am, I then stood in line for another 30 minutes to check into the hotel. I was told my room would be ready about 2pm, and it was on the 2nd floor. I requested a handicap room when I called about my reservation, I was told there was not one available, it was now after 12 noon. I was upset about this, but decided to just let it go. June 19th is my sons birthday. We had to wait almost an hour for a bus to MGM, after being told the buses run every 15 minutes. We had reservations at the sci-fi restaurant at MGM. When we got there, they could not find our reservations and was told we could wait 2+ hours to see if a table became available, be he could not guarantee it. My son did not have his 9th birthday party as planned. I was anger, but let it go again.. June 22nd. We went to Animal Kingdom, the first ride we rode was the river raft, one of the few rides I could. (Every time I would find a ride at some of the other parks that I could ride, that ride would usually be broke down) I used my ecv (we gave up trying to take the wheelchair to the parks by this time, it was too difficult to get a bus and decided it would be easier to just rent one at the park) to go to the ride, (there are spots in the fast pass line that the ecv will not fit through), I was asked if I could park it off to the side and walk to the raft, which I did with help from my husband. Then the ride stopped and we were left out in the sun for over 20 minutes and then they started draining the water. We waited until that was done (another 40+ munutes)and then a worker came out and asked someone on another raft if she needed assistance getting out. My husband stood up to let the worker know that I needed help because by this time, I had a small CP seizure due to sitting in the sun too long and could not walk at all. He was told in a not so nice tone to sit back down and wait, before he could even tell he what he needed, I was very sick by this time and she would not let him even tell her he needed help!! He had to drag me across 3 rafts to get out and then had to drag me up stairs where they had a wheelchair for me. We was then told I was not out on the right raft, that they have designated rafts for handicap riders and I should have been put on it instead. We had to leave the park right then, after ALOT of requesting, a manager called and got us a ride back to the hotel, my children did not get to visit Animal Kingdom at all. After all this and many other things, everything went down hill from there. On the 23rd, a bus driver to Downtown Disney was very rude to us because he did park close enough to the curb to get the wheel chair loaded and said "You should of let me know you was waiting. Now I have to move the bus to get closer, next time make sure you are waiting in the right spot". Well first of all, we was waiting in the right spot, (we were waiting near the rear HC door, as previously told to wait), I told the drive to forget it, I would make my way up the steps so he would not have to move the bus. With help from my husband, I did and while I was doing that, he was still letting people in the front door (which is against their company policy) and by the time I got on, there was no place to sit and he did not help secure the chair, my husband had to fold it up and hold onto it while we were standing. (there are designated HC seating where the seats lift up and are clearly marked as HC seating with a sign stating "HC SEATING; IF NEEDED YOU MUST MOVE TO ALLOW WHEELCHAIR ACCESS" While at Downtown Disney, it started raining so we left, on bus stop # 1 & 2, which is where the bus to our hotel stops, there is not a canopy to stand under like the other higher end resorts, so we had to stand in the rain for over 30 minutes for a bus, AGAIN ALL BROCHURES STATE THE BUSES RUN EVERY 15 MINUTES, when one did arrive, we were told he did not have room for a wheelchair because again he let all the other passengers on first, we would have to wait for another bus. The bus was not full when he stopped, but did fill up to standing room at this stop. Well, we were the first ones waiting for this bus and was not allowed on it because of my handicap. This is a DIRECT VIOLATION of the "Americans with Disabilities Act." I was humiliated over this, I started crying and by this time, we had had enough took a taxi back to out hotel. In the lobby of the hotel, the bathroom is NOT handicap accessible, I did not find that out until after I got in there. The only way out of the lobby if you are in a wheelchair and need to go to your room is: You have to go down into the restaurant and up a ramp into the foodmill area to get out the back side of the lobby. This is ridiculous. I wish a higher up manager would have to spend 6 days at your hotel and have to ride the buses and go to the parks in a wheelchair and actually deal with what I had to deal with. I am terminally ill and this was supposed to be a special vacation for our family and it was ruined. All I wanted was for my son to have some happy memories of a FAMILY (both mom and dad) vacation before something happens to me. Now all he has for memories is a horrible vacation where mommy got sicker and cried because of the way I was treated. To leave someone in rain is bad enough, but to leave someone in a wheelchair in the rain and to tell then the reason they can't ride the bus is because they are in a wheelchair is absolutely the meanest/cruelest thing someone can do. I regret thinking that Disney World would make the perfect last vacation for our family. We saved up for months (due to medical bills, this was hard on us) to go on this vacation and now we cannot even planned another one due to cost. I would like to ask for a full refund on our vacation so we can go somewhere were being in wheelchair is not an inconvenience for the hotel and attractions. I pray that someone responds to this email quickly and will call ASAP to resolve this matter.

I understand what is going on with Disney. They are very much a money making company. I also have been with the company for about 6 years and am making $2 above minimum wage. I want to tell you not to judge because a lot of people say "well it's your fault for being there and not leaving" but it's not. The company has a contract that states you will be at a top out rate after 5 years. Then after a couple of years they change the contract and you end up not being toped out. We used to be promised overtime after working 40 hours, but all that has changed. The company draws you in by promising you all this stuff and then changes it after you've invested time and effort into the company. After 6 years, it is very hard to just walk away, especially after thinking "I'm almost at a top out rate" or "next year I will get the bonus so I only have to stick it out for another year." 6 years ago I started out on the college program which is how most people start out. They promise that you will still be able to go to school while working for them, but after they hook you in with that line, they tell you that it's all by seniority and you can't go to school anymore. I have been going to school for 7 years because of this and I would have a real job if it wasn't for all the promises. Now I'm still not making any money and I don't have an education (well at least not all of it) and I am stuck because I can't afford to quit and try to find another job. The price to get into the parks keeps going up, the cost of living keeps going up, and yet, I (like the other cast members there, not counting Michael Eisner) am not making any more money. In a few years when the cost of gas goes up to $3 a gallon, and my salary is still $8.92, I won't even be able to go to work because I won't be able to get there. Disney puts you in a rock and a hard place. If you do come down for the college program (it is fun and a good time to get away from everyday life) come down in the summer (even though it's hot) when you don't have to quit school to come down, and make sure you go back to finish school. Don't let Disney talk you into the dream. It's not reality.

All i know, is that I have been going to WDW Orlando since I can remember, around 5-6. I am now 23. Since i was 17 ive had a seasonal pass (I would not get an annual pass since I wouldnt want to step foot near the parks during black-out dates..i know better) and since my first ever seasonal pass I go about 3 times on average a year. January, April, November have seemed to be my best times. No, I dont support "crappy" business practices. I just love disney that much, that I dont really care about the people who hate their jobs that they could easily walk away from. I love WDW, and will go there as long as it is open and I am alive...

My name is Trevor and i did the Walt Disney World College Program and i was only there for a month. I loved my roommates they were awesome, i got along with all of them they were like a second family away from my own family. Long story short i was terminated because i went to pleasure island one day with my x girlfriend and i lost all of my ids (my NY state License, Chatham Id to get in the complex and to get on the buses, and my Disney ID so i couldn't clock into work) So i called my work 4times and left messages on the answering machine and then the next couple of days passed and they said that i had a 4 day no call no show which was an automatic termination. I even tried to have them talk to my roommates who were there when i called my work and they heard my messages which were about 7minutes long each. Everybody i talked to said that it was bullsh*t! Even though i had a blast there meet so many new people who i am going to keep in touch forever. I am going to try and do it again next May! So now i am back home in NY having no fun while two of my special girls are in Florida and which is killing me that i can't see them or hangout with them like i was doing downthere.

Ok, I worked at WDW back in the early 90's and all in all, it was a great place. We got free passes in our paychecks fairly regularly, free cast member parking. No uniforms to tote around, they let you pick up your costume each shift, launder it for you and all. Even had shower and dressing rooms. Not too shabby. I had medical insurance through them and although it was not the best, it sufficed. Food was in the "tunnel" at a cafeteria. Again, not the worse, not the best. Prices were well in line though. We were allowed to roam the park for free, before or after work. The job was GREAT if you are "into" customer service. I remember the pay to be about a buck an hour higher than other places in the area. We even had a Bargain Basement on paydays where you could go buy returned items for a song and dance! Life was great. Oh,and so no one assumes anything, I was a parent, with 2 children and somehow I made enough there to allow me to commute daily from Tampa to the park. Long drive but I thought it was worthwhile. Disney even had a gas station near the employee parking lot that had reduced gas! Talk about incentives! I learned a whole lot working there. But like any job, there are ups and downs. I think a lot of people who complain were either in the wrong jobs or maybe they had bad working conditions. I had a wonderful crew of people and we all got along like family. Sure, putting on a happy face can get hard, depending on what kind of a day you are having. And disillusioned guests can really try even the most tolerant person. But, people are people and there are always people with issues and they are everywhere. Not just WDW. Most guests were great. I enjoyed helping people, loved most of my time there. Really the only reason I left was that I was offered a career in the field I was trained in. I had taken the WDW job only because it had great benefits and to a parent, those can matter a whole lot. Upper management at WDW treated me great. They have a very strict policy about looks, attitudes and all. They have to. Walt had a thing about making WDW the cleanest park on Earth. It was a passion with him and employees generally were proud to pick up a piece of litter. Most of us did it with no thought at all. It messes up the image of a pristine and clean park. No one ever complained, we just did it. Each night, crews would paint benches, light posts. It happened EVERY night. Walt was totally right when he said he wanted his park to look like opening day every day. There was a lot expected from employees and I assume there still is. While I will never jump in here and say it just is not possible to work there for years and only see a slight pay raise, things CAN and DO change. I saw a few pay raises while I was there (for a few years) and other cast members (WDW word for employees) did too. BUT this does not mean that things are still the way they were back then. Lots of things could have changed in 10 plus years. It is possible that cast members are no longer allowed to use the private beach (Little Lake Bryan) and maybe other priviledges were cut out too. It seems that most people who complain are talking about recent issues, all post 9/11. That date changed a lot of people and a lot of employers benefits. Its sad and its a shame but we are in a world where ONE DAY changed so much. Now, its "before 9/11" or "ever since 9/11". I am now in Hawaii, as far as a person can be from NYC (my birthplace) and we feel it here too. No longer are we getting the hours we used to. Things changed. But slowly they are getting better for people in the service industry. I never felt like WDW was using me and always felt important. It could be that my supervisors were top notch and the people who are complaining might have poor ones. I would like to think that WDW didn't start abusing people but who knows. And only the people who are currently or recently in that situation know for sure just how it is now. For anyone to blast the writers who are telling THEIR sides is just wrong. The original thread talked about how misleading the ads were and how long the lines are. Timing is everything. Florida has a very pronounced tourist season and if you want less lines, the best times to go are NOT when everyone is vacationing. Late September was always nice and slow, little lines. Going during school vacations is going to be busy, no doubt. If its the only time you CAN go, just be prepared. If it helps, when you get through the gate, bear left. ALWAYS bear left. MOST people are right handed and MOST go to the right. Going to Tomorrowland with the rest of the people who go to the right (towards Tomorrowland) is going to be packed. Try heading for Adventureland. Or head on over to Pirates, or Haunted Mansion. If you go left while the others go right, you meet less crowds and by the time YOU get to Tomorrowland, the original crowds should be passing you somewhere in the middle. As for prices, I went to WDW long before I worked there and continued to visit well after. Parking was never $15 for us. Shoots, expect to pay to park there but $15 was crazy! I won't say anyone is stretching the truth and I suppose valet would be the only way you would pay that. Look at it this way, if it keeps you from dealing with traffic, good. If you want to save money, park it yourself. WDW was always good at directing traffic and keeping it moving. Food prices WILL be high. First of all, its a high upkeep place. But you pay for this. SOMEONE has to pay for the squeaky clean places where your children sit and crawl. Think about this when you trash the prices. Their ticket prices really are NOT outrageous when you look at what you get. I know of no other park (except for maybe their immediate competitor) that is as well maintained as WDW. Certainly the other big ones are kept clean and last time I checked, all of the comparable places charged about the same prices. You pay for quality and if it shocks a guest to pay "outrageous prices" then maybe its the guest expecting too much. I just don't know. Sure, it DOES cost a lot to go there and have fun. But there are few places where you can go see all they have to offer in ONE place like that. There are places there that are educational. My kids learned a lot there. Places for sheer fun. Entertainment galore. Sorry, the way I feel is WDW is a heckuva bargain. But it is only *MY* opinion. As for employees feeling like WDW uses and abuses, I feel for you. If things have gotten really bad there, the only real option is to go elsewhere. Its a harsh thing to say but honestly, WDW that *I* knew was awesome and I was always proud to say I was a cast member there. Very fond memories of a lot of fun and feeling like one big family. If the pay raises are not coming, it could be that attendance took that bad of a dive. Or that the company is going downhill. I mean, just because some of us had the times of their lives there, doesn't mean EVERYONE did. I think a lot of it is perception and sometimes it is just different personalities. I know some people who bomb in customer service and a WDW job working with the guests may not be the right job. WDW used to do a really good job screening people and placing them where they thought they would do best. Not sure what they do now. But, to everyone, try hard to see the multiple sides to this. The original poster here was venting that things just were not the way they were advertised. Actually, occasionally the park IS a bit on the empty side. Thankfully that isn't often. Can you imagine what the prices would be like if hardly anyone showed up? And please do not bash each other. No one knows what the cast members who had bad experiences went through. To side with either when you were not there, did not see things is wrong. Its human nature to want to defend a place like WDW when you had a blast there, spent a whole week there, etc. But some things stated before were probably true. Or maybe it SEEMED that way to that person. Overall, MY own experiences as both a cast member and as a guest were a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. But it sure is not going to be the same story for EVERY cast member or every guest. ALL companies have complaints at times, none are immune. So please just try and see that some of the complaints are real. When I worked there we were all offered a chance to join a union during orientation. This may still be the case and it may be smart for current and future cast members. Last I knew, Florida was a right-to-work state so unions are not quite as strong as say in the north. But they still do serve a good purpose. Getting pay raises is one. Hope this helps and I hope no one is offended. I am only sharing my personal thoughts from my own experience but I intend NO ONE to take this as gospel or to use what I say as a weapon to bash people who do have complaints. I do feel sorry for all people who pluck down a wad of cash and do not enjoy their vacation for whatever reason. It is a shame to take time off, spend a slight fortune and not enjoy yourself. Thanks, I just wanted to tell my side of how it was there. And if someone tries the stay-to-the-left trick, let me know how it worked for you. This is not just for WDW but any park. Right handed people are the majority and they DO tend to favor right turns. And the right side lanes in stores, etc. Not sure who had made that study, it may have even been WDW! LOL Oh, and NO, I am not a current employee and can provide my Honolulu address and phone number. I might own a couple of shares of their stock but a couple shares isn't squat. I sure don't own enough shares to brag about it! (but sometimes I wish I did!) :D To the cast members who are there and not happy, my heart goes out to you. Nothing is worse than feeling like you are a slave. But I also know there are other places who hire too. And to future cast members, WDW may still be like it was when I was there. I am not in a position to go back and see. If I were, I would reapply there in a heartbeat. I am 43 and would not mind working there part time IF its like it was. It could be that full time positions are hard to acquire due to 9/11 and lower attendance. Maybe part time is the only thing they have. And it could be that with time, more hours become available. Back in the early 90's, you were allowed to work at multiple places there to get hours. If you worked in a restaurant and wanted to also do parade control, you could. Maybe this is not an option now, who knows. I do know that several times I would take shifts at places that were not my normal position. And of course this was a great way to test drive other positions too! And finally, to guests. Try and enjoy your time there. MOST cast members really do like their jobs, most want to make your trip to Disney special. MOST of them KNOW that guests are why they are there and without guests, they lose hours and make less money. Worse comes to worse and if things really are bad, try to get a supervisor and see if this helps. But ALWAYS, be decent. Guests who yell and scream will NOT be treated as well as those who are kind. This is true EVERYWHERE. No one likes to deal with unruly people and I hate to say it, I saw my share of it there. But I also know that 99% of the guests were not going to yell and scream. Be reasonable and you will find they will bend over backwards to keep you happy. Bring sunscreen, any medications you may need. Water fountains were around back when I was there and I suppose they still are. Rent lockers for heavy backpacks. Strollers and wheelchairs are available there and with a small child, it is wise to use one. Wear comfy clothes, shoes and dress for the weather. Orlando gets very hot and with no seabreezes, it can be miserable in the summer if you are wearing the wrong clothes. Plan on spending more there for food, even fast food. WDW used to pay more than the other places which is why a lot of people like to work there. The guest pays for that though. If the food prices still are too high, you could probably leave, go find lunch or dinner off-site and then return. They used to use hand stamps for that. A lot of people have been to WDW and I am certain that you know someone who has been there and can ask other people about their experiences there. This can give you better insite than a brochure showing a near empty park and characters all over. The characters have it bad during the summer months and due to heat with little to no circulation, I saw my share of heat related sick cast members. So try not to be too upset if Chip and Dale are led away. The characters DO get out and about but do not expect to see hundreds of them milling around. Even during the cooler months, those poor cast members suffer. They do it for the love of the job. Some only do it for a short period and move on in life. Others do it out of love of seeing kids happy. I pulled a few shifts as a character and my REAL job while not at WDW was a firefighter. I was USED to heat and used to having mask on face. And let me tell you, after 20 minutes baking in the sun, I was ready for some rehab in air conditioning. Someone else on here apparently pulled a lot more shifts as a character and I understand all that person wrote. People do tend to do mean things to the person inside the costume and kicking is common. Actually it occured daily and I think it is most cast members fear, of being hurt doing their jobs. It always shocked me to no end to see it happen and sometimes adults are just as bad as the kids. Actually, it is worse when an adult pulls a tail or smacks your rear end. Of course the cast member is not allowed to yell or strike back. Love of the job is probable the only reason a lot of people do stay in that field. I am patient and very customer oriented and I will be the first to admit that a few shifts for extra hours was one thing, I sure could not do it everyday and I admire those who choose to do it! Sorry, I know this was a tad bit long winded but I am hoping that someone may see this, try and see a little bit of all sides in this and maybe someone who is planning on going or working there can benefit. I live in Hawaii now, as stated earlier and I laugh when people ASSUME our beaches are empty, like the brochures picture. Occasionally they are less crowded than normal, but hardly empty. At least not in Waikiki! Brochures ALWAYS show a place at its best. Think about it. If you see a brochure for Hawaii, would you be all excited to look at a crowded beach? No. Or if you knew the true story about how parking is near impossible here? Of course not. That is for a different thread. But WDW is like ALL other tourist spots and they publish only their best pictures. Like Hawaii, NYC, Six Flags, Universal. It isn't fraudulent, but just the way marketing a product is. Your own vacation pics probably are taken at the best angle, best circumstances. These places are no different. With the number of blogs online and people posting their vacation pics online, it should be fairly easy to research the REAL WDW, or other place and not to just depend on the brochures. Thanks for letting me vent a little. If the prices of little trinket scare you, there ARE off site stores who deal in stuffed toys, t-shirts and such. No one but you will know where it came from! Believe me, if you saw it at WDW, you can find it OUTSIDE of WDW!

Ok, I worked at WDW back in the early 90's and all in all, it was a great place. We got free passes in our paychecks fairly regularly, free cast member parking. No uniforms to tote around, they let you pick up your costume each shift, launder it for you and all. Even had shower and dressing rooms. Not too shabby. I had medical insurance through them and although it was not the best, it sufficed. Food was in the "tunnel" at a cafeteria. Again, not the worse, not the best. Prices were well in line though. We were allowed to roam the park for free, before or after work. The job was GREAT if you are "into" customer service. I remember the pay to be about a buck an hour higher than other places in the area. We even had a Bargain Basement on paydays where you could go buy returned items for a song and dance! Life was great. Oh,and so no one assumes anything, I was a parent, with 2 children and somehow I made enough there to allow me to commute daily from Tampa to the park. Long drive but I thought it was worthwhile. Disney even had a gas station near the employee parking lot that had reduced gas! Talk about incentives! I learned a whole lot working there. But like any job, there are ups and downs. I think a lot of people who complain were either in the wrong jobs or maybe they had bad working conditions. I had a wonderful crew of people and we all got along like family. Sure, putting on a happy face can get hard, depending on what kind of a day you are having. And disillusioned guests can really try even the most tolerant person. But, people are people and there are always people with issues and they are everywhere. Not just WDW. Most guests were great. I enjoyed helping people, loved most of my time there. Really the only reason I left was that I was offered a career in the field I was trained in. I had taken the WDW job only because it had great benefits and to a parent, those can matter a whole lot. Upper management at WDW treated me great. They have a very strict policy about looks, attitudes and all. They have to. Walt had a thing about making WDW the cleanest park on Earth. It was a passion with him and employees generally were proud to pick up a piece of litter. Most of us did it with no thought at all. It messes up the image of a pristine and clean park. No one ever complained, we just did it. Each night, crews would paint benches, light posts. It happened EVERY night. Walt was totally right when he said he wanted his park to look like opening day every day. There was a lot expected from employees and I assume there still is. While I will never jump in here and say it just is not possible to work there for years and only see a slight pay raise, things CAN and DO change. I saw a few pay raises while I was there (for a few years) and other cast members (WDW word for employees) did too. BUT this does not mean that things are still the way they were back then. Lots of things could have changed in 10 plus years. It is possible that cast members are no longer allowed to use the private beach (Little Lake Bryan) and maybe other priviledges were cut out too. It seems that most people who complain are talking about recent issues, all post 9/11. That date changed a lot of people and a lot of employers benefits. Its sad and its a shame but we are in a world where ONE DAY changed so much. Now, its "before 9/11" or "ever since 9/11". I am now in Hawaii, as far as a person can be from NYC (my birthplace) and we feel it here too. No longer are we getting the hours we used to. Things changed. But slowly they are getting better for people in the service industry. I never felt like WDW was using me and always felt important. It could be that my supervisors were top notch and the people who are complaining might have poor ones. I would like to think that WDW didn't start abusing people but who knows. And only the people who are currently or recently in that situation know for sure just how it is now. For anyone to blast the writers who are telling THEIR sides is just wrong. The original thread talked about how misleading the ads were and how long the lines are. Timing is everything. Florida has a very pronounced tourist season and if you want less lines, the best times to go are NOT when everyone is vacationing. Late September was always nice and slow, little lines. Going during school vacations is going to be busy, no doubt. If its the only time you CAN go, just be prepared. If it helps, when you get through the gate, bear left. ALWAYS bear left. MOST people are right handed and MOST go to the right. Going to Tomorrowland with the rest of the people who go to the right (towards Tomorrowland) is going to be packed. Try heading for Adventureland. Or head on over to Pirates, or Haunted Mansion. If you go left while the others go right, you meet less crowds and by the time YOU get to Tomorrowland, the original crowds should be passing you somewhere in the middle. As for prices, I went to WDW long before I worked there and continued to visit well after. Parking was never $15 for us. Shoots, expect to pay to park there but $15 was crazy! I won't say anyone is stretching the truth and I suppose valet would be the only way you would pay that. Look at it this way, if it keeps you from dealing with traffic, good. If you want to save money, park it yourself. WDW was always good at directing traffic and keeping it moving. Food prices WILL be high. First of all, its a high upkeep place. But you pay for this. SOMEONE has to pay for the squeaky clean places where your children sit and crawl. Think about this when you trash the prices. Their ticket prices really are NOT outrageous when you look at what you get. I know of no other park (except for maybe their immediate competitor) that is as well maintained as WDW. Certainly the other big ones are kept clean and last time I checked, all of the comparable places charged about the same prices. You pay for quality and if it shocks a guest to pay "outrageous prices" then maybe its the guest expecting too much. I just don't know. Sure, it DOES cost a lot to go there and have fun. But there are few places where you can go see all they have to offer in ONE place like that. There are places there that are educational. My kids learned a lot there. Places for sheer fun. Entertainment galore. Sorry, the way I feel is WDW is a heckuva bargain. But it is only *MY* opinion. As for employees feeling like WDW uses and abuses, I feel for you. If things have gotten really bad there, the only real option is to go elsewhere. Its a harsh thing to say but honestly, WDW that *I* knew was awesome and I was always proud to say I was a cast member there. Very fond memories of a lot of fun and feeling like one big family. If the pay raises are not coming, it could be that attendance took that bad of a dive. Or that the company is going downhill. I mean, just because some of us had the times of their lives there, doesn't mean EVERYONE did. I think a lot of it is perception and sometimes it is just different personalities. I know some people who bomb in customer service and a WDW job working with the guests may not be the right job. WDW used to do a really good job screening people and placing them where they thought they would do best. Not sure what they do now. But, to everyone, try hard to see the multiple sides to this. The original poster here was venting that things just were not the way they were advertised. Actually, occasionally the park IS a bit on the empty side. Thankfully that isn't often. Can you imagine what the prices would be like if hardly anyone showed up? And please do not bash each other. No one knows what the cast members who had bad experiences went through. To side with either when you were not there, did not see things is wrong. Its human nature to want to defend a place like WDW when you had a blast there, spent a whole week there, etc. But some things stated before were probably true. Or maybe it SEEMED that way to that person. Overall, MY own experiences as both a cast member and as a guest were a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. But it sure is not going to be the same story for EVERY cast member or every guest. ALL companies have complaints at times, none are immune. So please just try and see that some of the complaints are real. When I worked there we were all offered a chance to join a union during orientation. This may still be the case and it may be smart for current and future cast members. Last I knew, Florida was a right-to-work state so unions are not quite as strong as say in the north. But they still do serve a good purpose. Getting pay raises is one. Hope this helps and I hope no one is offended. I am only sharing my personal thoughts from my own experience but I intend NO ONE to take this as gospel or to use what I say as a weapon to bash people who do have complaints. I do feel sorry for all people who pluck down a wad of cash and do not enjoy their vacation for whatever reason. It is a shame to take time off, spend a slight fortune and not enjoy yourself. Thanks, I just wanted to tell my side of how it was there. And if someone tries the stay-to-the-left trick, let me know how it worked for you. This is not just for WDW but any park. Right handed people are the majority and they DO tend to favor right turns. And the right side lanes in stores, etc. Not sure who had made that study, it may have even been WDW! LOL Oh, and NO, I am not a current employee and can provide my Honolulu address and phone number. I might own a couple of shares of their stock but a couple shares isn't squat. I sure don't own enough shares to brag about it! (but sometimes I wish I did!) :D To the cast members who are there and not happy, my heart goes out to you. Nothing is worse than feeling like you are a slave. But I also know there are other places who hire too. And to future cast members, WDW may still be like it was when I was there. I am not in a position to go back and see. If I were, I would reapply there in a heartbeat. I am 43 and would not mind working there part time IF its like it was. It could be that full time positions are hard to acquire due to 9/11 and lower attendance. Maybe part time is the only thing they have. And it could be that with time, more hours become available. Back in the early 90's, you were allowed to work at multiple places there to get hours. If you worked in a restaurant and wanted to also do parade control, you could. Maybe this is not an option now, who knows. I do know that several times I would take shifts at places that were not my normal position. And of course this was a great way to test drive other positions too! And finally, to guests. Try and enjoy your time there. MOST cast members really do like their jobs, most want to make your trip to Disney special. MOST of them KNOW that guests are why they are there and without guests, they lose hours and make less money. Worse comes to worse and if things really are bad, try to get a supervisor and see if this helps. But ALWAYS, be decent. Guests who yell and scream will NOT be treated as well as those who are kind. This is true EVERYWHERE. No one likes to deal with unruly people and I hate to say it, I saw my share of it there. But I also know that 99% of the guests were not going to yell and scream. Be reasonable and you will find they will bend over backwards to keep you happy. Bring sunscreen, any medications you may need. Water fountains were around back when I was there and I suppose they still are. Rent lockers for heavy backpacks. Strollers and wheelchairs are available there and with a small child, it is wise to use one. Wear comfy clothes, shoes and dress for the weather. Orlando gets very hot and with no seabreezes, it can be miserable in the summer if you are wearing the wrong clothes. Plan on spending more there for food, even fast food. WDW used to pay more than the other places which is why a lot of people like to work there. The guest pays for that though. If the food prices still are too high, you could probably leave, go find lunch or dinner off-site and then return. They used to use hand stamps for that. A lot of people have been to WDW and I am certain that you know someone who has been there and can ask other people about their experiences there. This can give you better insite than a brochure showing a near empty park and characters all over. The characters have it bad during the summer months and due to heat with little to no circulation, I saw my share of heat related sick cast members. So try not to be too upset if Chip and Dale are led away. The characters DO get out and about but do not expect to see hundreds of them milling around. Even during the cooler months, those poor cast members suffer. They do it for the love of the job. Some only do it for a short period and move on in life. Others do it out of love of seeing kids happy. I pulled a few shifts as a character and my REAL job while not at WDW was a firefighter. I was USED to heat and used to having mask on face. And let me tell you, after 20 minutes baking in the sun, I was ready for some rehab in air conditioning. Someone else on here apparently pulled a lot more shifts as a character and I understand all that person wrote. People do tend to do mean things to the person inside the costume and kicking is common. Actually it occured daily and I think it is most cast members fear, of being hurt doing their jobs. It always shocked me to no end to see it happen and sometimes adults are just as bad as the kids. Actually, it is worse when an adult pulls a tail or smacks your rear end. Of course the cast member is not allowed to yell or strike back. Love of the job is probable the only reason a lot of people do stay in that field. I am patient and very customer oriented and I will be the first to admit that a few shifts for extra hours was one thing, I sure could not do it everyday and I admire those who choose to do it! Sorry, I know this was a tad bit long winded but I am hoping that someone may see this, try and see a little bit of all sides in this and maybe someone who is planning on going or working there can benefit. I live in Hawaii now, as stated earlier and I laugh when people ASSUME our beaches are empty, like the brochures picture. Occasionally they are less crowded than normal, but hardly empty. At least not in Waikiki! Brochures ALWAYS show a place at its best. Think about it. If you see a brochure for Hawaii, would you be all excited to look at a crowded beach? No. Or if you knew the true story about how parking is near impossible here? Of course not. That is for a different thread. But WDW is like ALL other tourist spots and they publish only their best pictures. Like Hawaii, NYC, Six Flags, Universal. It isn't fraudulent, but just the way marketing a product is. Your own vacation pics probably are taken at the best angle, best circumstances. These places are no different. With the number of blogs online and people posting their vacation pics online, it should be fairly easy to research the REAL WDW, or other place and not to just depend on the brochures. Thanks for letting me vent a little. If the prices of little trinket scare you, there ARE off site stores who deal in stuffed toys, t-shirts and such. No one but you will know where it came from! Believe me, if you saw it at WDW, you can find it OUTSIDE of WDW!

Ok, I worked at WDW back in the early 90's and all in all, it was a great place. We got free passes in our paychecks fairly regularly, free cast member parking. No uniforms to tote around, they let you pick up your costume each shift, launder it for you and all. Even had shower and dressing rooms. Not too shabby. I had medical insurance through them and although it was not the best, it sufficed. Food was in the "tunnel" at a cafeteria. Again, not the worse, not the best. Prices were well in line though. We were allowed to roam the park for free, before or after work. The job was GREAT if you are "into" customer service. I remember the pay to be about a buck an hour higher than other places in the area. We even had a Bargain Basement on paydays where you could go buy returned items for a song and dance! Life was great. Oh,and so no one assumes anything, I was a parent, with 2 children and somehow I made enough there to allow me to commute daily from Tampa to the park. Long drive but I thought it was worthwhile. Disney even had a gas station near the employee parking lot that had reduced gas! Talk about incentives! I learned a whole lot working there. But like any job, there are ups and downs. I think a lot of people who complain were either in the wrong jobs or maybe they had bad working conditions. I had a wonderful crew of people and we all got along like family. Sure, putting on a happy face can get hard, depending on what kind of a day you are having. And disillusioned guests can really try even the most tolerant person. But, people are people and there are always people with issues and they are everywhere. Not just WDW. Most guests were great. I enjoyed helping people, loved most of my time there. Really the only reason I left was that I was offered a career in the field I was trained in. I had taken the WDW job only because it had great benefits and to a parent, those can matter a whole lot. Upper management at WDW treated me great. They have a very strict policy about looks, attitudes and all. They have to. Walt had a thing about making WDW the cleanest park on Earth. It was a passion with him and employees generally were proud to pick up a piece of litter. Most of us did it with no thought at all. It messes up the image of a pristine and clean park. No one ever complained, we just did it. Each night, crews would paint benches, light posts. It happened EVERY night. Walt was totally right when he said he wanted his park to look like opening day every day. There was a lot expected from employees and I assume there still is. While I will never jump in here and say it just is not possible to work there for years and only see a slight pay raise, things CAN and DO change. I saw a few pay raises while I was there (for a few years) and other cast members (WDW word for employees) did too. BUT this does not mean that things are still the way they were back then. Lots of things could have changed in 10 plus years. It is possible that cast members are no longer allowed to use the private beach (Little Lake Bryan) and maybe other priviledges were cut out too. It seems that most people who complain are talking about recent issues, all post 9/11. That date changed a lot of people and a lot of employers benefits. Its sad and its a shame but we are in a world where ONE DAY changed so much. Now, its "before 9/11" or "ever since 9/11". I am now in Hawaii, as far as a person can be from NYC (my birthplace) and we feel it here too. No longer are we getting the hours we used to. Things changed. But slowly they are getting better for people in the service industry. I never felt like WDW was using me and always felt important. It could be that my supervisors were top notch and the people who are complaining might have poor ones. I would like to think that WDW didn't start abusing people but who knows. And only the people who are currently or recently in that situation know for sure just how it is now. For anyone to blast the writers who are telling THEIR sides is just wrong. The original thread talked about how misleading the ads were and how long the lines are. Timing is everything. Florida has a very pronounced tourist season and if you want less lines, the best times to go are NOT when everyone is vacationing. Late September was always nice and slow, little lines. Going during school vacations is going to be busy, no doubt. If its the only time you CAN go, just be prepared. If it helps, when you get through the gate, bear left. ALWAYS bear left. MOST people are right handed and MOST go to the right. Going to Tomorrowland with the rest of the people who go to the right (towards Tomorrowland) is going to be packed. Try heading for Adventureland. Or head on over to Pirates, or Haunted Mansion. If you go left while the others go right, you meet less crowds and by the time YOU get to Tomorrowland, the original crowds should be passing you somewhere in the middle. As for prices, I went to WDW long before I worked there and continued to visit well after. Parking was never $15 for us. Shoots, expect to pay to park there but $15 was crazy! I won't say anyone is stretching the truth and I suppose valet would be the only way you would pay that. Look at it this way, if it keeps you from dealing with traffic, good. If you want to save money, park it yourself. WDW was always good at directing traffic and keeping it moving. Food prices WILL be high. First of all, its a high upkeep place. But you pay for this. SOMEONE has to pay for the squeaky clean places where your children sit and crawl. Think about this when you trash the prices. Their ticket prices really are NOT outrageous when you look at what you get. I know of no other park (except for maybe their immediate competitor) that is as well maintained as WDW. Certainly the other big ones are kept clean and last time I checked, all of the comparable places charged about the same prices. You pay for quality and if it shocks a guest to pay "outrageous prices" then maybe its the guest expecting too much. I just don't know. Sure, it DOES cost a lot to go there and have fun. But there are few places where you can go see all they have to offer in ONE place like that. There are places there that are educational. My kids learned a lot there. Places for sheer fun. Entertainment galore. Sorry, the way I feel is WDW is a heckuva bargain. But it is only *MY* opinion. As for employees feeling like WDW uses and abuses, I feel for you. If things have gotten really bad there, the only real option is to go elsewhere. Its a harsh thing to say but honestly, WDW that *I* knew was awesome and I was always proud to say I was a cast member there. Very fond memories of a lot of fun and feeling like one big family. If the pay raises are not coming, it could be that attendance took that bad of a dive. Or that the company is going downhill. I mean, just because some of us had the times of their lives there, doesn't mean EVERYONE did. I think a lot of it is perception and sometimes it is just different personalities. I know some people who bomb in customer service and a WDW job working with the guests may not be the right job. WDW used to do a really good job screening people and placing them where they thought they would do best. Not sure what they do now. But, to everyone, try hard to see the multiple sides to this. The original poster here was venting that things just were not the way they were advertised. Actually, occasionally the park IS a bit on the empty side. Thankfully that isn't often. Can you imagine what the prices would be like if hardly anyone showed up? And please do not bash each other. No one knows what the cast members who had bad experiences went through. To side with either when you were not there, did not see things is wrong. Its human nature to want to defend a place like WDW when you had a blast there, spent a whole week there, etc. But some things stated before were probably true. Or maybe it SEEMED that way to that person. Overall, MY own experiences as both a cast member and as a guest were a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. But it sure is not going to be the same story for EVERY cast member or every guest. ALL companies have complaints at times, none are immune. So please just try and see that some of the complaints are real. When I worked there we were all offered a chance to join a union during orientation. This may still be the case and it may be smart for current and future cast members. Last I knew, Florida was a right-to-work state so unions are not quite as strong as say in the north. But they still do serve a good purpose. Getting pay raises is one. Hope this helps and I hope no one is offended. I am only sharing my personal thoughts from my own experience but I intend NO ONE to take this as gospel or to use what I say as a weapon to bash people who do have complaints. I do feel sorry for all people who pluck down a wad of cash and do not enjoy their vacation for whatever reason. It is a shame to take time off, spend a slight fortune and not enjoy yourself. Thanks, I just wanted to tell my side of how it was there. And if someone tries the stay-to-the-left trick, let me know how it worked for you. This is not just for WDW but any park. Right handed people are the majority and they DO tend to favor right turns. And the right side lanes in stores, etc. Not sure who had made that study, it may have even been WDW! LOL Oh, and NO, I am not a current employee and can provide my Honolulu address and phone number. I might own a couple of shares of their stock but a couple shares isn't squat. I sure don't own enough shares to brag about it! (but sometimes I wish I did!) :D To the cast members who are there and not happy, my heart goes out to you. Nothing is worse than feeling like you are a slave. But I also know there are other places who hire too. And to future cast members, WDW may still be like it was when I was there. I am not in a position to go back and see. If I were, I would reapply there in a heartbeat. I am 43 and would not mind working there part time IF its like it was. It could be that full time positions are hard to acquire due to 9/11 and lower attendance. Maybe part time is the only thing they have. And it could be that with time, more hours become available. Back in the early 90's, you were allowed to work at multiple places there to get hours. If you worked in a restaurant and wanted to also do parade control, you could. Maybe this is not an option now, who knows. I do know that several times I would take shifts at places that were not my normal position. And of course this was a great way to test drive other positions too! And finally, to guests. Try and enjoy your time there. MOST cast members really do like their jobs, most want to make your trip to Disney special. MOST of them KNOW that guests are why they are there and without guests, they lose hours and make less money. Worse comes to worse and if things really are bad, try to get a supervisor and see if this helps. But ALWAYS, be decent. Guests who yell and scream will NOT be treated as well as those who are kind. This is true EVERYWHERE. No one likes to deal with unruly people and I hate to say it, I saw my share of it there. But I also know that 99% of the guests were not going to yell and scream. Be reasonable and you will find they will bend over backwards to keep you happy. Bring sunscreen, any medications you may need. Water fountains were around back when I was there and I suppose they still are. Rent lockers for heavy backpacks. Strollers and wheelchairs are available there and with a small child, it is wise to use one. Wear comfy clothes, shoes and dress for the weather. Orlando gets very hot and with no seabreezes, it can be miserable in the summer if you are wearing the wrong clothes. Plan on spending more there for food, even fast food. WDW used to pay more than the other places which is why a lot of people like to work there. The guest pays for that though. If the food prices still are too high, you could probably leave, go find lunch or dinner off-site and then return. They used to use hand stamps for that. A lot of people have been to WDW and I am certain that you know someone who has been there and can ask other people about their experiences there. This can give you better insite than a brochure showing a near empty park and characters all over. The characters have it bad during the summer months and due to heat with little to no circulation, I saw my share of heat related sick cast members. So try not to be too upset if Chip and Dale are led away. The characters DO get out and about but do not expect to see hundreds of them milling around. Even during the cooler months, those poor cast members suffer. They do it for the love of the job. Some only do it for a short period and move on in life. Others do it out of love of seeing kids happy. I pulled a few shifts as a character and my REAL job while not at WDW was a firefighter. I was USED to heat and used to having mask on face. And let me tell you, after 20 minutes baking in the sun, I was ready for some rehab in air conditioning. Someone else on here apparently pulled a lot more shifts as a character and I understand all that person wrote. People do tend to do mean things to the person inside the costume and kicking is common. Actually it occured daily and I think it is most cast members fear, of being hurt doing their jobs. It always shocked me to no end to see it happen and sometimes adults are just as bad as the kids. Actually, it is worse when an adult pulls a tail or smacks your rear end. Of course the cast member is not allowed to yell or strike back. Love of the job is probable the only reason a lot of people do stay in that field. I am patient and very customer oriented and I will be the first to admit that a few shifts for extra hours was one thing, I sure could not do it everyday and I admire those who choose to do it! Sorry, I know this was a tad bit long winded but I am hoping that someone may see this, try and see a little bit of all sides in this and maybe someone who is planning on going or working there can benefit. I live in Hawaii now, as stated earlier and I laugh when people ASSUME our beaches are empty, like the brochures picture. Occasionally they are less crowded than normal, but hardly empty. At least not in Waikiki! Brochures ALWAYS show a place at its best. Think about it. If you see a brochure for Hawaii, would you be all excited to look at a crowded beach? No. Or if you knew the true story about how parking is near impossible here? Of course not. That is for a different thread. But WDW is like ALL other tourist spots and they publish only their best pictures. Like Hawaii, NYC, Six Flags, Universal. It isn't fraudulent, but just the way marketing a product is. Your own vacation pics probably are taken at the best angle, best circumstances. These places are no different. With the number of blogs online and people posting their vacation pics online, it should be fairly easy to research the REAL WDW, or other place and not to just depend on the brochures. Thanks for letting me vent a little. If the prices of little trinket scare you, there ARE off site stores who deal in stuffed toys, t-shirts and such. No one but you will know where it came from! Believe me, if you saw it at WDW, you can find it OUTSIDE of WDW!

Ok, I worked at WDW back in the early 90's and all in all, it was a great place. We got free passes in our paychecks fairly regularly, free cast member parking. No uniforms to tote around, they let you pick up your costume each shift, launder it for you and all. Even had shower and dressing rooms. Not too shabby. I had medical insurance through them and although it was not the best, it sufficed. Food was in the "tunnel" at a cafeteria. Again, not the worse, not the best. Prices were well in line though. We were allowed to roam the park for free, before or after work. The job was GREAT if you are "into" customer service. I remember the pay to be about a buck an hour higher than other places in the area. We even had a Bargain Basement on paydays where you could go buy returned items for a song and dance! Life was great. Oh,and so no one assumes anything, I was a parent, with 2 children and somehow I made enough there to allow me to commute daily from Tampa to the park. Long drive but I thought it was worthwhile. Disney even had a gas station near the employee parking lot that had reduced gas! Talk about incentives! I learned a whole lot working there. But like any job, there are ups and downs. I think a lot of people who complain were either in the wrong jobs or maybe they had bad working conditions. I had a wonderful crew of people and we all got along like family. Sure, putting on a happy face can get hard, depending on what kind of a day you are having. And disillusioned guests can really try even the most tolerant person. But, people are people and there are always people with issues and they are everywhere. Not just WDW. Most guests were great. I enjoyed helping people, loved most of my time there. Really the only reason I left was that I was offered a career in the field I was trained in. I had taken the WDW job only because it had great benefits and to a parent, those can matter a whole lot. Upper management at WDW treated me great. They have a very strict policy about looks, attitudes and all. They have to. Walt had a thing about making WDW the cleanest park on Earth. It was a passion with him and employees generally were proud to pick up a piece of litter. Most of us did it with no thought at all. It messes up the image of a pristine and clean park. No one ever complained, we just did it. Each night, crews would paint benches, light posts. It happened EVERY night. Walt was totally right when he said he wanted his park to look like opening day every day. There was a lot expected from employees and I assume there still is. While I will never jump in here and say it just is not possible to work there for years and only see a slight pay raise, things CAN and DO change. I saw a few pay raises while I was there (for a few years) and other cast members (WDW word for employees) did too. BUT this does not mean that things are still the way they were back then. Lots of things could have changed in 10 plus years. It is possible that cast members are no longer allowed to use the private beach (Little Lake Bryan) and maybe other priviledges were cut out too. It seems that most people who complain are talking about recent issues, all post 9/11. That date changed a lot of people and a lot of employers benefits. Its sad and its a shame but we are in a world where ONE DAY changed so much. Now, its "before 9/11" or "ever since 9/11". I am now in Hawaii, as far as a person can be from NYC (my birthplace) and we feel it here too. No longer are we getting the hours we used to. Things changed. But slowly they are getting better for people in the service industry. I never felt like WDW was using me and always felt important. It could be that my supervisors were top notch and the people who are complaining might have poor ones. I would like to think that WDW didn't start abusing people but who knows. And only the people who are currently or recently in that situation know for sure just how it is now. For anyone to blast the writers who are telling THEIR sides is just wrong. The original thread talked about how misleading the ads were and how long the lines are. Timing is everything. Florida has a very pronounced tourist season and if you want less lines, the best times to go are NOT when everyone is vacationing. Late September was always nice and slow, little lines. Going during school vacations is going to be busy, no doubt. If its the only time you CAN go, just be prepared. If it helps, when you get through the gate, bear left. ALWAYS bear left. MOST people are right handed and MOST go to the right. Going to Tomorrowland with the rest of the people who go to the right (towards Tomorrowland) is going to be packed. Try heading for Adventureland. Or head on over to Pirates, or Haunted Mansion. If you go left while the others go right, you meet less crowds and by the time YOU get to Tomorrowland, the original crowds should be passing you somewhere in the middle. As for prices, I went to WDW long before I worked there and continued to visit well after. Parking was never $15 for us. Shoots, expect to pay to park there but $15 was crazy! I won't say anyone is stretching the truth and I suppose valet would be the only way you would pay that. Look at it this way, if it keeps you from dealing with traffic, good. If you want to save money, park it yourself. WDW was always good at directing traffic and keeping it moving. Food prices WILL be high. First of all, its a high upkeep place. But you pay for this. SOMEONE has to pay for the squeaky clean places where your children sit and crawl. Think about this when you trash the prices. Their ticket prices really are NOT outrageous when you look at what you get. I know of no other park (except for maybe their immediate competitor) that is as well maintained as WDW. Certainly the other big ones are kept clean and last time I checked, all of the comparable places charged about the same prices. You pay for quality and if it shocks a guest to pay "outrageous prices" then maybe its the guest expecting too much. I just don't know. Sure, it DOES cost a lot to go there and have fun. But there are few places where you can go see all they have to offer in ONE place like that. There are places there that are educational. My kids learned a lot there. Places for sheer fun. Entertainment galore. Sorry, the way I feel is WDW is a heckuva bargain. But it is only *MY* opinion. As for employees feeling like WDW uses and abuses, I feel for you. If things have gotten really bad there, the only real option is to go elsewhere. Its a harsh thing to say but honestly, WDW that *I* knew was awesome and I was always proud to say I was a cast member there. Very fond memories of a lot of fun and feeling like one big family. If the pay raises are not coming, it could be that attendance took that bad of a dive. Or that the company is going downhill. I mean, just because some of us had the times of their lives there, doesn't mean EVERYONE did. I think a lot of it is perception and sometimes it is just different personalities. I know some people who bomb in customer service and a WDW job working with the guests may not be the right job. WDW used to do a really good job screening people and placing them where they thought they would do best. Not sure what they do now. But, to everyone, try hard to see the multiple sides to this. The original poster here was venting that things just were not the way they were advertised. Actually, occasionally the park IS a bit on the empty side. Thankfully that isn't often. Can you imagine what the prices would be like if hardly anyone showed up? And please do not bash each other. No one knows what the cast members who had bad experiences went through. To side with either when you were not there, did not see things is wrong. Its human nature to want to defend a place like WDW when you had a blast there, spent a whole week there, etc. But some things stated before were probably true. Or maybe it SEEMED that way to that person. Overall, MY own experiences as both a cast member and as a guest were a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. But it sure is not going to be the same story for EVERY cast member or every guest. ALL companies have complaints at times, none are immune. So please just try and see that some of the complaints are real. When I worked there we were all offered a chance to join a union during orientation. This may still be the case and it may be smart for current and future cast members. Last I knew, Florida was a right-to-work state so unions are not quite as strong as say in the north. But they still do serve a good purpose. Getting pay raises is one. Hope this helps and I hope no one is offended. I am only sharing my personal thoughts from my own experience but I intend NO ONE to take this as gospel or to use what I say as a weapon to bash people who do have complaints. I do feel sorry for all people who pluck down a wad of cash and do not enjoy their vacation for whatever reason. It is a shame to take time off, spend a slight fortune and not enjoy yourself. Thanks, I just wanted to tell my side of how it was there. And if someone tries the stay-to-the-left trick, let me know how it worked for you. This is not just for WDW but any park. Right handed people are the majority and they DO tend to favor right turns. And the right side lanes in stores, etc. Not sure who had made that study, it may have even been WDW! LOL Oh, and NO, I am not a current employee and can provide my Honolulu address and phone number. I might own a couple of shares of their stock but a couple shares isn't squat. I sure don't own enough shares to brag about it! (but sometimes I wish I did!) :D To the cast members who are there and not happy, my heart goes out to you. Nothing is worse than feeling like you are a slave. But I also know there are other places who hire too. And to future cast members, WDW may still be like it was when I was there. I am not in a position to go back and see. If I were, I would reapply there in a heartbeat. I am 43 and would not mind working there part time IF its like it was. It could be that full time positions are hard to acquire due to 9/11 and lower attendance. Maybe part time is the only thing they have. And it could be that with time, more hours become available. Back in the early 90's, you were allowed to work at multiple places there to get hours. If you worked in a restaurant and wanted to also do parade control, you could. Maybe this is not an option now, who knows. I do know that several times I would take shifts at places that were not my normal position. And of course this was a great way to test drive other positions too! And finally, to guests. Try and enjoy your time there. MOST cast members really do like their jobs, most want to make your trip to Disney special. MOST of them KNOW that guests are why they are there and without guests, they lose hours and make less money. Worse comes to worse and if things really are bad, try to get a supervisor and see if this helps. But ALWAYS, be decent. Guests who yell and scream will NOT be treated as well as those who are kind. This is true EVERYWHERE. No one likes to deal with unruly people and I hate to say it, I saw my share of it there. But I also know that 99% of the guests were not going to yell and scream. Be reasonable and you will find they will bend over backwards to keep you happy. Bring sunscreen, any medications you may need. Water fountains were around back when I was there and I suppose they still are. Rent lockers for heavy backpacks. Strollers and wheelchairs are available there and with a small child, it is wise to use one. Wear comfy clothes, shoes and dress for the weather. Orlando gets very hot and with no seabreezes, it can be miserable in the summer if you are wearing the wrong clothes. Plan on spending more there for food, even fast food. WDW used to pay more than the other places which is why a lot of people like to work there. The guest pays for that though. If the food prices still are too high, you could probably leave, go find lunch or dinner off-site and then return. They used to use hand stamps for that. A lot of people have been to WDW and I am certain that you know someone who has been there and can ask other people about their experiences there. This can give you better insite than a brochure showing a near empty park and characters all over. The characters have it bad during the summer months and due to heat with little to no circulation, I saw my share of heat related sick cast members. So try not to be too upset if Chip and Dale are led away. The characters DO get out and about but do not expect to see hundreds of them milling around. Even during the cooler months, those poor cast members suffer. They do it for the love of the job. Some only do it for a short period and move on in life. Others do it out of love of seeing kids happy. I pulled a few shifts as a character and my REAL job while not at WDW was a firefighter. I was USED to heat and used to having mask on face. And let me tell you, after 20 minutes baking in the sun, I was ready for some rehab in air conditioning. Someone else on here apparently pulled a lot more shifts as a character and I understand all that person wrote. People do tend to do mean things to the person inside the costume and kicking is common. Actually it occured daily and I think it is most cast members fear, of being hurt doing their jobs. It always shocked me to no end to see it happen and sometimes adults are just as bad as the kids. Actually, it is worse when an adult pulls a tail or smacks your rear end. Of course the cast member is not allowed to yell or strike back. Love of the job is probable the only reason a lot of people do stay in that field. I am patient and very customer oriented and I will be the first to admit that a few shifts for extra hours was one thing, I sure could not do it everyday and I admire those who choose to do it! Sorry, I know this was a tad bit long winded but I am hoping that someone may see this, try and see a little bit of all sides in this and maybe someone who is planning on going or working there can benefit. I live in Hawaii now, as stated earlier and I laugh when people ASSUME our beaches are empty, like the brochures picture. Occasionally they are less crowded than normal, but hardly empty. At least not in Waikiki! Brochures ALWAYS show a place at its best. Think about it. If you see a brochure for Hawaii, would you be all excited to look at a crowded beach? No. Or if you knew the true story about how parking is near impossible here? Of course not. That is for a different thread. But WDW is like ALL other tourist spots and they publish only their best pictures. Like Hawaii, NYC, Six Flags, Universal. It isn't fraudulent, but just the way marketing a product is. Your own vacation pics probably are taken at the best angle, best circumstances. These places are no different. With the number of blogs online and people posting their vacation pics online, it should be fairly easy to research the REAL WDW, or other place and not to just depend on the brochures. Thanks for letting me vent a little. If the prices of little trinket scare you, there ARE off site stores who deal in stuffed toys, t-shirts and such. No one but you will know where it came from! Believe me, if you saw it at WDW, you can find it OUTSIDE of WDW!

First, thanks to whoever posted the mousesavers.com info. Great tips there. I hadn't heard of it before. I want to start by admitting that I am a hardcore Disney fan, especially Disney World in Florida AND a fan of Universal Studios. I have great memories of Disney World as a child and as an adult. I am 25 years old, and every time I get to Orlando my eyes light up like a kid and my whole mood changes. I think that's what the magic part is. Now, I don't know where to begin with some of the ridiculous things I've read... First, in response to the original post, all amusement parks are crowded. I find it hard to believe that you really didn't expect to see crowds or wait in line at such a popular one. But, I've NEVER had to wait longer than 3 minutes to get a pic with a character, so maybe you just picked a bad day. Plus, most amusement parks charge 10 or 15 bucks to park for one day in ONE park, it's not so unreasonable for Disney to charge $7 for ALL the parks. And $15 for valet? I've seen higher prices for valet parking at hotels and malls. If $15 is too much, maybe you can't afford valet so don't front. Here's a hint: FREE SHUTTLES EVERYWHERE! Pretty much every hotel has them. To Juli, maybe if you don't want people to attack your opinions then you shouldn't come off as such a raving lunatic basing your entire argument on unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Where to start? You asked why would anybody go to Disney theme parks...I don't go because I watched commercials and figured there would be no lines...I go because my parents took me as a child and I've loved it ever since. And I've met plenty of people who love working there. I had a friend who went to undergrad with me here in Michigan, went to the WDW college program, and ended up transferring schools and moving to FL to work for Disney permanently. She still loves it. I've also known lawyers, accountants, and other professionals, who went to take other jobs for Disney, in some cases even taking a pay cut, and love it. I've never even met a disgruntled employee in person, although I realize there are some, just like with every company. And you speak of 2 people to a bedroom like it's slave quarters. I can't believe you managed to supposedly get 2 degrees without ever staying in a dorm with a roomate because I've seen dorm rooms with 4-5 people IN ONE ROOM so those Disney employees are probably happy for the extra space, not to mention that dorms often cost significantly more than 35 a week (mine cost 790 a month for my own room and others pay more than 500 a month to share A SINGLE ROOM with 1 or 2 people, not to mention sharing a bathroom with God knows who). And as others mentioned, most internships pay nothing. You don't expect to make millions nowadays without a college degree unless you're in the entertainment or sports industry. So who should we be angry at when schools, congressman, law offices, hospitals, and many other organizations use interns as free work in exchange for experience? What do we do about that? Most people work for those wages in college or before, then get an education and move on. It's not Disney's fault that people are willing to stick around for $9 and hour. Boo h*o, you're making way over minimum wage without a degree. There are people actually making minimum wage with families to support that would love to make that kind of money. And how many part time jobs offer medical care? The same goes for any job. If you're in college and you work part time at Burger King, and you get sick, you can lose the pay or go in to work. That's not just Disney. It's life. And, I love the place, I don't care if they pay their workers only slightly more than minimum wage. As long as they're not whippin slaves underground I don't care because I always have a GREAT time. I didn't hear anyone on here say they were forced to work there. And I REALLY don't care that they bring in out of state, part time workers cheap or build expensive housing because once again, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. Before law school I worked free at a prosecutor's office for the experience and I wasn't whining OR eating cat food. And if someone worked for 10-20 years and was so miserable, they should have gotten a new job or went to school. Again, not Disney's fault. And I don't care if Disney owns 50,000 cities. So what. And if you don't want to lose a tooth in your salad, try brusing and flossing regularly. And anyone with any sense knows not to drive over car spikes - must you blame Disney for all your problems including your lack of common sense? They weren't working right? What do you think they are suppose to do inflate your tires? And you should be happy to go to the park free. I would love free Disney passes. Boo h*o, 4th of July isn't free. Who wants to be in that crowd anyway? I would much rather be there on slower days. You don't have to be Joe Millionaire to pay $200 for a hotel room. Head over to the Villas at Grand Cypress, JW Marriott, or other non-Disney hotels that charge that and more. You get what you pay for. If people want to pay for luxury, which I do, then that's their perogative. If you don't like it, there are plenty of Red Roof Inns and Hampton Inns, hotels with non-recognizable names, etc. And taking your kids to Disney is not lazy. I would never leave my kids with a stranger to babysit, though some choose to, but vacationing there is good for the family. We absolutely wore our parent out when we were kids, waking them up at 6 am so we would have time to eat breakfast before going to the parks, then not wanting to leave all day until the park closed, and doing it all over again the next day for an entire week. I don't know how we did it, but my brother and I would literally be awake from 6am to about 1 or 2am each day, then just sleep on the way back and had a great family time with lots of pics and souvenirs to show for it. To Bill, how much do you expect to make for saying "How many in your party?" If I could make more than $11 an hour to do that I would have taken that job while in law school any day. If you want more, go to school and join your friends in their management positions or some other job. While we're complaining about how much Michael Eisner makes, lets also complain about how much Bill Gates (don't get me started), Kobe Bryant (more than $20 million a season), P Diddy ($600 million company), Cameron Diaz ($10 million for one week of just voice work on Shrek 2) all make. I think Juli described you both perfectly: Green with Envy. And Disney is expensive, but there are ways around it like someone said (i.e. mousesavers.com). Don't stay in Disney hotels, buy souvenirs and food elsewhere, get passes online, take the shuttle, etc. I went last summer for a week and spent less than $500 the whole week including shopping for souvenirs (I split up my uncle's time share condo with others and we cooked alot, 3 bedrooms plus rollaway in the living room (5 beds total), and only went to universal and water mania on that trip, and also daytona beach, swimming a lot, etc. and it was 4 adults and 4 kids, rented cars and drove down from midwest. Could have thrown in a Disney pass for not much more but we didn't have time we were doing so much and had bought our Universal and Water Mania passes in advance in a package.) So it wasn't bad at all. $95 for a park to park on one day is not bad considering you get six parks ($140 for 2 days, and so on), cedar point is $45 for one park or $68 with water park. Overall it's not that expensive unless you want to buy your kids whatever they point to. Overall, I love it and always will. I'll be back again this summer!

First, thanks to whoever posted the mousesavers.com info. Great tips there. I hadn't heard of it before. I want to start by admitting that I am a hardcore Disney fan, especially Disney World in Florida AND a fan of Universal Studios. I have great memories of Disney World as a child and as an adult. I am 25 years old, and every time I get to Orlando my eyes light up like a kid and my whole mood changes. I think that's what the magic part is. Now, I don't know where to begin with some of the ridiculous things I've read... First, in response to the original post, all amusement parks are crowded. I find it hard to believe that you really didn't expect to see crowds or wait in line at such a popular one. But, I've NEVER had to wait longer than 3 minutes to get a pic with a character, so maybe you just picked a bad day. Plus, most amusement parks charge 10 or 15 bucks to park for one day in ONE park, it's not so unreasonable for Disney to charge $7 for ALL the parks. And $15 for valet? I've seen higher prices for valet parking at hotels and malls. If $15 is too much, maybe you can't afford valet so don't front. Here's a hint: FREE SHUTTLES EVERYWHERE! Pretty much every hotel has them. To Juli, maybe if you don't want people to attack your opinions then you shouldn't come off as such a raving lunatic basing your entire argument on unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Where to start? You asked why would anybody go to Disney theme parks...I don't go because I watched commercials and figured there would be no lines...I go because my parents took me as a child and I've loved it ever since. And I've met plenty of people who love working there. I had a friend who went to undergrad with me here in Michigan, went to the WDW college program, and ended up transferring schools and moving to FL to work for Disney permanently. She still loves it. I've also known lawyers, accountants, and other professionals, who went to take other jobs for Disney, in some cases even taking a pay cut, and love it. I've never even met a disgruntled employee in person, although I realize there are some, just like with every company. And you speak of 2 people to a bedroom like it's slave quarters. I can't believe you managed to supposedly get 2 degrees without ever staying in a dorm with a roomate because I've seen dorm rooms with 4-5 people IN ONE ROOM so those Disney employees are probably happy for the extra space, not to mention that dorms often cost significantly more than 35 a week (mine cost 790 a month for my own room and others pay more than 500 a month to share A SINGLE ROOM with 1 or 2 people, not to mention sharing a bathroom with God knows who). And as others mentioned, most internships pay nothing. You don't expect to make millions nowadays without a college degree unless you're in the entertainment or sports industry. So who should we be angry at when schools, congressman, law offices, hospitals, and many other organizations use interns as free work in exchange for experience? What do we do about that? Most people work for those wages in college or before, then get an education and move on. It's not Disney's fault that people are willing to stick around for $9 and hour. Boo h*o, you're making way over minimum wage without a degree. There are people actually making minimum wage with families to support that would love to make that kind of money. And how many part time jobs offer medical care? The same goes for any job. If you're in college and you work part time at Burger King, and you get sick, you can lose the pay or go in to work. That's not just Disney. It's life. And, I love the place, I don't care if they pay their workers only slightly more than minimum wage. As long as they're not whippin slaves underground I don't care because I always have a GREAT time. I didn't hear anyone on here say they were forced to work there. And I REALLY don't care that they bring in out of state, part time workers cheap or build expensive housing because once again, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. Before law school I worked free at a prosecutor's office for the experience and I wasn't whining OR eating cat food. And if someone worked for 10-20 years and was so miserable, they should have gotten a new job or went to school. Again, not Disney's fault. And I don't care if Disney owns 50,000 cities. So what. And if you don't want to lose a tooth in your salad, try brusing and flossing regularly. And anyone with any sense knows not to drive over car spikes - must you blame Disney for all your problems including your lack of common sense? They weren't working right? What do you think they are suppose to do inflate your tires? And you should be happy to go to the park free. I would love free Disney passes. Boo h*o, 4th of July isn't free. Who wants to be in that crowd anyway? I would much rather be there on slower days. You don't have to be Joe Millionaire to pay $200 for a hotel room. Head over to the Villas at Grand Cypress, JW Marriott, or other non-Disney hotels that charge that and more. You get what you pay for. If people want to pay for luxury, which I do, then that's their perogative. If you don't like it, there are plenty of Red Roof Inns and Hampton Inns, hotels with non-recognizable names, etc. And taking your kids to Disney is not lazy. I would never leave my kids with a stranger to babysit, though some choose to, but vacationing there is good for the family. We absolutely wore our parent out when we were kids, waking them up at 6 am so we would have time to eat breakfast before going to the parks, then not wanting to leave all day until the park closed, and doing it all over again the next day for an entire week. I don't know how we did it, but my brother and I would literally be awake from 6am to about 1 or 2am each day, then just sleep on the way back and had a great family time with lots of pics and souvenirs to show for it. To Bill, how much do you expect to make for saying "How many in your party?" If I could make more than $11 an hour to do that I would have taken that job while in law school any day. If you want more, go to school and join your friends in their management positions or some other job. While we're complaining about how much Michael Eisner makes, lets also complain about how much Bill Gates (don't get me started), Kobe Bryant (more than $20 million a season), P Diddy ($600 million company), Cameron Diaz ($10 million for one week of just voice work on Shrek 2) all make. I think Juli described you both perfectly: Green with Envy. And Disney is expensive, but there are ways around it like someone said (i.e. mousesavers.com). Don't stay in Disney hotels, buy souvenirs and food elsewhere, get passes online, take the shuttle, etc. I went last summer for a week and spent less than $500 the whole week including shopping for souvenirs (I split up my uncle's time share condo with others and we cooked alot, 3 bedrooms plus rollaway in the living room (5 beds total), and only went to universal and water mania on that trip, and also daytona beach, swimming a lot, etc. and it was 4 adults and 4 kids, rented cars and drove down from midwest. Could have thrown in a Disney pass for not much more but we didn't have time we were doing so much and had bought our Universal and Water Mania passes in advance in a package.) So it wasn't bad at all. $95 for a park to park on one day is not bad considering you get six parks ($140 for 2 days, and so on), cedar point is $45 for one park or $68 with water park. Overall it's not that expensive unless you want to buy your kids whatever they point to. Overall, I love it and always will. I'll be back again this summer!

First, thanks to whoever posted the mousesavers.com info. Great tips there. I hadn't heard of it before. I want to start by admitting that I am a hardcore Disney fan, especially Disney World in Florida AND a fan of Universal Studios. I have great memories of Disney World as a child and as an adult. I am 25 years old, and every time I get to Orlando my eyes light up like a kid and my whole mood changes. I think that's what the magic part is. Now, I don't know where to begin with some of the ridiculous things I've read... First, in response to the original post, all amusement parks are crowded. I find it hard to believe that you really didn't expect to see crowds or wait in line at such a popular one. But, I've NEVER had to wait longer than 3 minutes to get a pic with a character, so maybe you just picked a bad day. Plus, most amusement parks charge 10 or 15 bucks to park for one day in ONE park, it's not so unreasonable for Disney to charge $7 for ALL the parks. And $15 for valet? I've seen higher prices for valet parking at hotels and malls. If $15 is too much, maybe you can't afford valet so don't front. Here's a hint: FREE SHUTTLES EVERYWHERE! Pretty much every hotel has them. To Juli, maybe if you don't want people to attack your opinions then you shouldn't come off as such a raving lunatic basing your entire argument on unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Where to start? You asked why would anybody go to Disney theme parks...I don't go because I watched commercials and figured there would be no lines...I go because my parents took me as a child and I've loved it ever since. And I've met plenty of people who love working there. I had a friend who went to undergrad with me here in Michigan, went to the WDW college program, and ended up transferring schools and moving to FL to work for Disney permanently. She still loves it. I've also known lawyers, accountants, and other professionals, who went to take other jobs for Disney, in some cases even taking a pay cut, and love it. I've never even met a disgruntled employee in person, although I realize there are some, just like with every company. And you speak of 2 people to a bedroom like it's slave quarters. I can't believe you managed to supposedly get 2 degrees without ever staying in a dorm with a roomate because I've seen dorm rooms with 4-5 people IN ONE ROOM so those Disney employees are probably happy for the extra space, not to mention that dorms often cost significantly more than 35 a week (mine cost 790 a month for my own room and others pay more than 500 a month to share A SINGLE ROOM with 1 or 2 people, not to mention sharing a bathroom with God knows who). And as others mentioned, most internships pay nothing. You don't expect to make millions nowadays without a college degree unless you're in the entertainment or sports industry. So who should we be angry at when schools, congressman, law offices, hospitals, and many other organizations use interns as free work in exchange for experience? What do we do about that? Most people work for those wages in college or before, then get an education and move on. It's not Disney's fault that people are willing to stick around for $9 and hour. Boo h*o, you're making way over minimum wage without a degree. There are people actually making minimum wage with families to support that would love to make that kind of money. And how many part time jobs offer medical care? The same goes for any job. If you're in college and you work part time at Burger King, and you get sick, you can lose the pay or go in to work. That's not just Disney. It's life. And, I love the place, I don't care if they pay their workers only slightly more than minimum wage. As long as they're not whippin slaves underground I don't care because I always have a GREAT time. I didn't hear anyone on here say they were forced to work there. And I REALLY don't care that they bring in out of state, part time workers cheap or build expensive housing because once again, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. Before law school I worked free at a prosecutor's office for the experience and I wasn't whining OR eating cat food. And if someone worked for 10-20 years and was so miserable, they should have gotten a new job or went to school. Again, not Disney's fault. And I don't care if Disney owns 50,000 cities. So what. And if you don't want to lose a tooth in your salad, try brusing and flossing regularly. And anyone with any sense knows not to drive over car spikes - must you blame Disney for all your problems including your lack of common sense? They weren't working right? What do you think they are suppose to do inflate your tires? And you should be happy to go to the park free. I would love free Disney passes. Boo h*o, 4th of July isn't free. Who wants to be in that crowd anyway? I would much rather be there on slower days. You don't have to be Joe Millionaire to pay $200 for a hotel room. Head over to the Villas at Grand Cypress, JW Marriott, or other non-Disney hotels that charge that and more. You get what you pay for. If people want to pay for luxury, which I do, then that's their perogative. If you don't like it, there are plenty of Red Roof Inns and Hampton Inns, hotels with non-recognizable names, etc. And taking your kids to Disney is not lazy. I would never leave my kids with a stranger to babysit, though some choose to, but vacationing there is good for the family. We absolutely wore our parent out when we were kids, waking them up at 6 am so we would have time to eat breakfast before going to the parks, then not wanting to leave all day until the park closed, and doing it all over again the next day for an entire week. I don't know how we did it, but my brother and I would literally be awake from 6am to about 1 or 2am each day, then just sleep on the way back and had a great family time with lots of pics and souvenirs to show for it. To Bill, how much do you expect to make for saying "How many in your party?" If I could make more than $11 an hour to do that I would have taken that job while in law school any day. If you want more, go to school and join your friends in their management positions or some other job. While we're complaining about how much Michael Eisner makes, lets also complain about how much Bill Gates (don't get me started), Kobe Bryant (more than $20 million a season), P Diddy ($600 million company), Cameron Diaz ($10 million for one week of just voice work on Shrek 2) all make. I think Juli described you both perfectly: Green with Envy. And Disney is expensive, but there are ways around it like someone said (i.e. mousesavers.com). Don't stay in Disney hotels, buy souvenirs and food elsewhere, get passes online, take the shuttle, etc. I went last summer for a week and spent less than $500 the whole week including shopping for souvenirs (I split up my uncle's time share condo with others and we cooked alot, 3 bedrooms plus rollaway in the living room (5 beds total), and only went to universal and water mania on that trip, and also daytona beach, swimming a lot, etc. and it was 4 adults and 4 kids, rented cars and drove down from midwest. Could have thrown in a Disney pass for not much more but we didn't have time we were doing so much and had bought our Universal and Water Mania passes in advance in a package.) So it wasn't bad at all. $95 for a park to park on one day is not bad considering you get six parks ($140 for 2 days, and so on), cedar point is $45 for one park or $68 with water park. Overall it's not that expensive unless you want to buy your kids whatever they point to. Overall, I love it and always will. I'll be back again this summer!

First, thanks to whoever posted the mousesavers.com info. Great tips there. I hadn't heard of it before. I want to start by admitting that I am a hardcore Disney fan, especially Disney World in Florida AND a fan of Universal Studios. I have great memories of Disney World as a child and as an adult. I am 25 years old, and every time I get to Orlando my eyes light up like a kid and my whole mood changes. I think that's what the magic part is. Now, I don't know where to begin with some of the ridiculous things I've read... First, in response to the original post, all amusement parks are crowded. I find it hard to believe that you really didn't expect to see crowds or wait in line at such a popular one. But, I've NEVER had to wait longer than 3 minutes to get a pic with a character, so maybe you just picked a bad day. Plus, most amusement parks charge 10 or 15 bucks to park for one day in ONE park, it's not so unreasonable for Disney to charge $7 for ALL the parks. And $15 for valet? I've seen higher prices for valet parking at hotels and malls. If $15 is too much, maybe you can't afford valet so don't front. Here's a hint: FREE SHUTTLES EVERYWHERE! Pretty much every hotel has them. To Juli, maybe if you don't want people to attack your opinions then you shouldn't come off as such a raving lunatic basing your entire argument on unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Where to start? You asked why would anybody go to Disney theme parks...I don't go because I watched commercials and figured there would be no lines...I go because my parents took me as a child and I've loved it ever since. And I've met plenty of people who love working there. I had a friend who went to undergrad with me here in Michigan, went to the WDW college program, and ended up transferring schools and moving to FL to work for Disney permanently. She still loves it. I've also known lawyers, accountants, and other professionals, who went to take other jobs for Disney, in some cases even taking a pay cut, and love it. I've never even met a disgruntled employee in person, although I realize there are some, just like with every company. And you speak of 2 people to a bedroom like it's slave quarters. I can't believe you managed to supposedly get 2 degrees without ever staying in a dorm with a roomate because I've seen dorm rooms with 4-5 people IN ONE ROOM so those Disney employees are probably happy for the extra space, not to mention that dorms often cost significantly more than 35 a week (mine cost 790 a month for my own room and others pay more than 500 a month to share A SINGLE ROOM with 1 or 2 people, not to mention sharing a bathroom with God knows who). And as others mentioned, most internships pay nothing. You don't expect to make millions nowadays without a college degree unless you're in the entertainment or sports industry. So who should we be angry at when schools, congressman, law offices, hospitals, and many other organizations use interns as free work in exchange for experience? What do we do about that? Most people work for those wages in college or before, then get an education and move on. It's not Disney's fault that people are willing to stick around for $9 and hour. Boo h*o, you're making way over minimum wage without a degree. There are people actually making minimum wage with families to support that would love to make that kind of money. And how many part time jobs offer medical care? The same goes for any job. If you're in college and you work part time at Burger King, and you get sick, you can lose the pay or go in to work. That's not just Disney. It's life. And, I love the place, I don't care if they pay their workers only slightly more than minimum wage. As long as they're not whippin slaves underground I don't care because I always have a GREAT time. I didn't hear anyone on here say they were forced to work there. And I REALLY don't care that they bring in out of state, part time workers cheap or build expensive housing because once again, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. Before law school I worked free at a prosecutor's office for the experience and I wasn't whining OR eating cat food. And if someone worked for 10-20 years and was so miserable, they should have gotten a new job or went to school. Again, not Disney's fault. And I don't care if Disney owns 50,000 cities. So what. And if you don't want to lose a tooth in your salad, try brusing and flossing regularly. And anyone with any sense knows not to drive over car spikes - must you blame Disney for all your problems including your lack of common sense? They weren't working right? What do you think they are suppose to do inflate your tires? And you should be happy to go to the park free. I would love free Disney passes. Boo h*o, 4th of July isn't free. Who wants to be in that crowd anyway? I would much rather be there on slower days. You don't have to be Joe Millionaire to pay $200 for a hotel room. Head over to the Villas at Grand Cypress, JW Marriott, or other non-Disney hotels that charge that and more. You get what you pay for. If people want to pay for luxury, which I do, then that's their perogative. If you don't like it, there are plenty of Red Roof Inns and Hampton Inns, hotels with non-recognizable names, etc. And taking your kids to Disney is not lazy. I would never leave my kids with a stranger to babysit, though some choose to, but vacationing there is good for the family. We absolutely wore our parent out when we were kids, waking them up at 6 am so we would have time to eat breakfast before going to the parks, then not wanting to leave all day until the park closed, and doing it all over again the next day for an entire week. I don't know how we did it, but my brother and I would literally be awake from 6am to about 1 or 2am each day, then just sleep on the way back and had a great family time with lots of pics and souvenirs to show for it. To Bill, how much do you expect to make for saying "How many in your party?" If I could make more than $11 an hour to do that I would have taken that job while in law school any day. If you want more, go to school and join your friends in their management positions or some other job. While we're complaining about how much Michael Eisner makes, lets also complain about how much Bill Gates (don't get me started), Kobe Bryant (more than $20 million a season), P Diddy ($600 million company), Cameron Diaz ($10 million for one week of just voice work on Shrek 2) all make. I think Juli described you both perfectly: Green with Envy. And Disney is expensive, but there are ways around it like someone said (i.e. mousesavers.com). Don't stay in Disney hotels, buy souvenirs and food elsewhere, get passes online, take the shuttle, etc. I went last summer for a week and spent less than $500 the whole week including shopping for souvenirs (I split up my uncle's time share condo with others and we cooked alot, 3 bedrooms plus rollaway in the living room (5 beds total), and only went to universal and water mania on that trip, and also daytona beach, swimming a lot, etc. and it was 4 adults and 4 kids, rented cars and drove down from midwest. Could have thrown in a Disney pass for not much more but we didn't have time we were doing so much and had bought our Universal and Water Mania passes in advance in a package.) So it wasn't bad at all. $95 for a park to park on one day is not bad considering you get six parks ($140 for 2 days, and so on), cedar point is $45 for one park or $68 with water park. Overall it's not that expensive unless you want to buy your kids whatever they point to. Overall, I love it and always will. I'll be back again this summer!

My family and I went to WDW 2/04, had a great time. We were first there 5 yrs ago and our hopper passes were still good at that price. It was great not having to pay again to get in. That's one great thing about Disney, your passes never expire. To save money, leave park and go elsewhere for meals. Wendy's is nearby.There's free ice water anytime, just ask! We did manage to get many autographs from characters. The frustrating part is when they just pick up walk away from your child, it's quite obvious they have to get out of there. That's my main critizism. Hey Mickey, be polite when you need a cheese break! I love Orlando!

I thought I was going to make it through this entire "Disney bashing" without getting upset.....but no here comes little ms andria complaining about out of staters coming to her florida and taking her job. Oh please, get a frggin' life. From your comments, I can only assume you have never adventured out of florida and spent your hard earned money in another state. From your comments I can only assume that disney only hires "illegal little mexicans" that speak english very well mind you. From your comments, about hurting little brats, I can only assume that you have no education and "hurting" is what you do best. And last but not least.... these brats that are taking your jobs away are also spending what little money they have in florida to keep us "tourist" happy. That is florida...the tourist state right. If I had to choose between a brat and a floridian, (that can't count)...THEN SWEETIE.....hate me too!!!

I worked at Walt Disney World on two separate occasions and for one reason and one reason only. I chose to. I was on beer and ice cream detail at Epcot and only made $6.00 an hour as a member of the College Program and you know what? It was hard but I did it and I loved it. I didn't like have to eat ramen all the time because my paycheck was less than $100 a week but think about it? If you are smart about your finances then $100 a week is fine. In the presentation you HAVE to go to before applying, you are told by alumni and recruiters what the average pay is and that if you are looking for a job to make money, this isn't the one for you. It's all about experience. Yeah, Disney is a business, a smart business and yes, College Program interns are cheap labor but I can count five of my closest friends from the program that are managers there making at least $45,000 a year. Others are better managers at other companies because of what they learned by working for Disney. Let's face it, no matter what you think, Dinsey is the best "guest orientated" company in the world. Why else would people pay some of the prices? It's all about service. Now, I'm not saying that you will always have a pleasent face with a smile waiting to help you but most of the time, cast members are eager to help. After a six month internship I went back to college, earned my degree and went back to Orlando to do back to back advanced internships. I cannot put into words how amazing my two roles were. I learned more in one year there than all of my years of college. All of you are not wrong in stating that Michael Eisner makes some questionable and possibly boderline unethical decisions but find me a company that is 100% pure? I bet you can't prove that because that's business. It's cut-throat and it's all about the survival of the fittest. Why do you think Disney has a roller coaster? Because Universal Studios built an entire park dedicated to thrill rides? You gotta keep up the Jones's. And prices? Universal Studios, Sea World, and Busch Gardens all charge the same price. That is a fact. I know Disney doesn't have obscene popularity with everyone but think about this. The three most identifiable companies in in the world are McDonald's, Coca Cola, and Disney. Because they are so known, when mistakes and decisions are made, everyone knows. That doesn't make them worse than say Microsoft or Nike. Right or wrong, business is business. At least at the end of a long day at the Magic Kingdom you can feel a bit of magic. Imagine this scenario. A man, his wife and his daughter just spent the entire day at the Magic Kingdom. Money was spent on food, shirts, and stuffed animals. His little girl got to meet Cinderella and she can't stop smiling. You are watching the fireworks and at the very end, Tinkerbell flies down from the castle. He looks at his daughter to see her eyes widen in amazement and that little smile takes up her whole face as she watches Tinkerbell. That right there is what Disney is about. Magic, innocence, and that child inside every person. That is why Disney, with all it's faults, is by far one of the best companies in the world.

Most people who dont live in Florida or the ones who have been here a few years are quick to respond to Juli. Thr real Floridians who are blue collar workers know exactly where she is coming from. This whole thing is like a double edged sword. Its good for you rich folk who live up North to send little Janie or johnny down to Florida to learn some life skills. But your missing the point. The point would be---Because you cant teach your own d**n kids and leave it to Disney to teach the snot nosed bratts the real Floridians have to suffer. Why? Because if Disney can get enough of your little cesspool ---excusee me gene pool then they dont have to hire floridans who are here to stay. They dont have to worry about raises and benefits. See to us your little Darlings are like illegal little mexicans to us who are taking our benefits and money. Keep your brats home before we start hurting them! Juli----"Home of the 7.00 an hour land" Your so right. I call them Floida dollars. If you make 10 an hour its not bad for Florida dollars.

Ok, so I saw this and had to laugh. I hate to insult you bro, but my God! I have worked in customer service for 17 years and I have heard some really messed up customer expectations, but that takes the cake man. You seriously expected the most popular theme park in the world to be empty?? I like to think of myself as one of average intelligence, but I would hope that someone that expects something like that is in a home, doped up on medicine and playing with their Hello Kitty balloon and away from the general public. As for the prices, have you never taken a vacation before? ANY vacation you go on is going to cost you a fortune. Yes, I totally agree 100% that their prices are outrageous, and there is only one way to fight that, DON'T GO. Bring your own food. I have been to Disney World and many other theme parks and if you have the option, you bring a cooler or two, pack it (them) full of food and drinks and eat at your car. You need a drink? There are thousands of water fountains around. They have them at every bathroom. Dude, wake up and smell the funnel cake...

"Let's be logical here!" Boy was that an under statement Al. What the heck were you talking about...your response really made no sense. People (including myself) were countering Juli because she made inaccurate statements. Her statement about College Program students eating cat food to survive was her biggest misrespresentation as well as a degrading remark. Fact is MOST internships do not pay! Disney may pay little, but they pay more than minimum wage which is more than a lot of college kids make. Disney also provides you with a big 2 bath, 3 bedroom lush apartment that you share with 3-5 other roommates...which is pretty typical of college students. That's how college apartments on and off campus are set up and you have to pay to live at college too. Let's face it you can't live free anywhere except for at home with your parents. My time on the WDW College Program was one of the best experiences of my life, as well as 100s of others that I met. Al, where do get off saying that those of us standing behind Disney are Corporate Execs under disguise...WHAT??? What an absurd accusation. I'm a 29 year old, small business acct mngr in South Jersey...I don't own Disney stock, nor does anyone I know and I am certainly not a Disney Exec. I am a person who has experienced many wonderful memories at Disney through the years with my family (who consistently goes about every 3 years) and completed the WDW College Program. As for the outrageous prices...they are a sign of our times. To go to Six Flags Great Adventure, you pay $10 for parking and $45.99 for one ticket. They don't provide nearly as many attractions as Disney, they don't have the same customer service as Disney and you can't hop back and forth between different parks. Universal Studios Orlando ticket price is $54.75, without parking. The Jersey Shore has amusement parks not nearly the size of Disney, Six Flags or Universal and they charge $37.95 for a bracelet to go on all the rides. So what are all of you people complaining about...yes it's expensive, your paying for the experience...for the memories. Disney is no different than any other entertainment park out there. My family is by no means rich, infact they are very average as far as income, but my mom manages to put a little $ away at a time so that her family can enjoy great vacations (Disney, trips West, Canada). Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but you should at least try to base your opinions on facts not fiction. Yes, Disney is not perfect they have made mistakes and not everyone loves the Mouse. Disney does however provide a great family fun experience which people pay for over and over every year. Disney also provides tens of thousands of jobs to people who are proud and happy to work at Disney. No matter what company you go to in our great nation more than likely you are going to run into disgruntled workers who don't think they are treated fairly or think they should be making more money...we're Americans we always want more for less. Why don't we all try to be a little more open minded and not so closed minded.

As a person in a tipped position I made $2.50 an hour, most of the servers that I talked to in the area(not with Disney) make $2.20/$2.30 an hour for the same sort of position. That is the average wage for a server in this city. Do you think this is wrong too?? I think Disney does take good care of it's employees, most college students take summer internships and make $0, just for the experience, so they come here, get paid, gain work experience and have some fun for a few months! Al- you are exactly right when it comes to the unions, Disney does have unions so how do you think that such and huge, publicly recognized company could get away with doing such horrible things to all of their employees, and still have people applying by the thousands to work there?! As for the employees picking up garbage, that is what everyone does, there are specific people who's jobs are emptying trash cans and sweeping up garbage etc.. but if any Disney castmember is walking along and sees a piece of garbage they stop and pick it, that is why the park is so clean- because the castmembers have pride in their job and in the parks and do not just leave it because it 'isn't thier job'! As a psychologist I would have figured that your rebuttal would have been more thought out, researched, edited and less hypocritical; you said yourself that people should be less quick to criticize but then you go and jump on the people that you think are being naive. I don't think you're so 'slick' yourself there Al, I have no affiliation with Disney what so ever anymore but I do have working knowledge of the company and its policies, with this I wanted to bring another side to the argument. Thank you Jason, I aggree with you! If you enjoy you're job then I think you are much better off than making loads of money and being miserable. But maybe someone who is in a high paying career such as psychology cannot understand the want to make $6.50 an hour and actually enjoy what they do everyday! And it now costs $8-10 to park at places like Sea World and Universal and the ticket prices are comparable to Disney, I think Disney is trying to keep costs down while still running a business.

You assume that those of us that do support the mouse could only be corporate Disney employees? as a "psychologist" you should know by now what assuming does. I work every day in Disney-MGM Studios for $6.70 an hour. And I actually like it. You seem to forget whot most people do. College program cast members are making $6.00 an hour more than a lot of interns out there. And remember this is an internhip program. It is not for everyone and I would suggest that if you do it and do not like it just leave. As for the parking if you where a annual passholder, a DVC member or a resort guest you would not have to pay to park. If you are paying $15 for parking it is your fault because you got them to valet park you. You can't complain when you choose to do it. If you compare the cost with Universal you will see that they are close in price if not the same. Al, before you rip a company for what it does to it's employees study it a little better. as a "psychologist"you must always be doing studies. If a study was done right now at Disney-MGM you would probably find that most people do not like the pay but do like the job.

Let's be very logical here! What Juli is saying is very serious. These are the reasons the various unions in America were established. Everyone who is anyone knows that once you start or get into an abusive or dead end job, situation or even realtionship if it consumes all of your time. It is near to impossible at that time to find something bettet some people stay at or no dead end jobs for many years. And the only time they have to themselves is usually sick time or a call in (where they make up some story that they are sick or some teagedy happened so that they can get some serious things taken care of. And even then that is not guranteed). I don't care what these clowns say about what you agree to with your employer. When one is looking for a job yes you sign many papers it is just like looking for an apartment the papers that you sign is used not for your bennefit but for the companies bennifit many times with alot of hidden stuff written within. And let's be real . How many of you have filled out a job application and have been able to take 1-3 days to scrutinize or totally analyze. The documents that you will be signing once you get the job. Anyone who has been hired for a company or who owns a company or is responsible for hiring knows what I am talking about. These papers are flashed in front of your eyes like flash cards and you are coached "sign here...initial here...". It is done very quick too. And when you ask questions about the pages the person doing the hiring or leaser gets fustrated and irate and say will yes you must sign all of these documents (as in now) and if you don't sign them you wont get hired or leased. Now no one is putting a gun to your head to sign it. You don't have to sign it. But everyone of you hypocrites have been in that situstion and have done the like thereof under pressure. No one should treat anyone the ways that have been mentioned by Juli. That is the reason that there is LABOR UNIONS. Now one might say ''Duh Huh...if you're dumb enough to sign without a lawyer or going over it than that is your problem. Oh ye hypocrites stop it. Everyone of you have either done it or been a party to such actions. And haven't been at ease with the results if they were neagative and know that the company is not giving justice. You all should listen to what Juli says because it is real. I was under the impression that disney took good care of their employees. Come on $7-10 an hour. And some for over 10 years. That is slave wages if you see what these people are doing. I have witnessed people who take tickets at the gates. 30 minutes later picking up trash and paper in the park. That isn't right. And 6 people in a 3 bedroom apartment and as one person said ...$6/hr, working 30-35 hrs/week, with them taking out $67-$79 a week for rent... Hey that's about $180-$210 a week minus $67-$79 leaves you with $113-$131 a week. Now lets add food expneses and clothes. That isn't any justice and let's say you did get sick it is like a corpoarate whip or monkey is on your back with no health care or bennifits if you got sick that has to come out of your own expenses that you don't have. So if you got sick you are false to work because if you don't work you can't pay your slave rent and you couldn't pay for your healthcare anyways that is corporate slavery it its highest. Atleast if you were paid well you could atleast have money saved aside for rent or anything if you were sick. But you are litereally forced to be a corporate slave. This puts a new method into having someone work for food or shelter. You are litereally like the man or woman on the corner who will work for simple food or shelter.Because your wages can afford such. Now, I see no logic in any private citizen defending "Disney" as you all have. As a psychologist it seems to me that you defenders of "Disney" are no more than agents or members of Disney's corporate body or are shareholders, or owners of stocks or investors. For, you cannot get upset with Juli. Nor the gentlemen who gave an valid fact and argument about the park. For it is true the average price today for park entry per adult (ages 10-100) is $52.00 and the average price for children (ages 3-9) is $42.00. Now why on earth should you have to pay $7-$15 dollars for parking. That is absord. You are already paying to go into the park. Now if anything parking should come with the ticket. Next it is true they make it very discouraging to even bring your children before one of those characters. The escorts actually yell at children. Who are not even doing anything strane or unusually. That is not even psychologically healthy for the little ones anyways. The lines are comprehensible as wella as the time to wait. It is a big place but not the behavior and it is true there should be more than one character in diffrent locations for the health of the character and the participants who are wating, sitting, standing in the hot sun or rain. But to you Disney Executives, and Corporate body, and or investors, share or stockholders your not slick. There is no logical in a private citizen defending something that they have no inside knowledge of. Next, those of you who claim to have work there and enjoyed it more power to you. Some people enjoy being slaves. And some people are to blind to see what is going on. And some people are so party active they can careless about what they earn in life as long as they earn something. And to the military man. It is good that Disney catered to your family. To bad to military doesn't . The VA hospitals are the worst in the nation when it comes to care and hygeine even your life. You have Vets, and soldiers who come in for just a simple cold or sore and leave out with a serious health illness or an infection due to the lack of proper medical help and hygeinics and you know I am telling the truth. To Juli, and the gentlemen who gave the facts on the park. More power to you. It is you right to speak up and speak out. And to you perpetrators a real consumer and or citizen will sit and learn not try to defend something that they obviously don't fully know about. Your response is like "oh Nike has sweatshops...well I like the shoes and they fit the people there obviously like the job they make the shoes (fit) right and no one put a gun to their head ...they make $2 a week while the average person in there country is making 20 cents they should be happy....". That kind of argument sounds like the same thing that the old slave owners or plantation owners on America's plantation would have said. "We feed um, Clothe Um...what more can they ask for...we rescued um..." Wake up people give an ear and donot be to quick to criticize. Listen and learn. Live and learn! And to you Disney people who are here posing as comming joes. Your not slick! It is cowardice...trying to defend yourselves under disguise. But you are exposed! Yes it is logical to look after your investment . But it is also logical and humane to treat your employees right and with justice!

Let's be very logical here! What Juli is saying is very serious. These are the reasons the various unions in America were established. Everyone who is anyone knows that once you start or get into an abusive or dead end job, situation or even realtionship if it consumes all of your time. It is near to impossible at that time to find something bettet some people stay at or no dead end jobs for many years. And the only time they have to themselves is usually sick time or a call in (where they make up some story that they are sick or some teagedy happened so that they can get some serious things taken care of. And even then that is not guranteed). I don't care what these clowns say about what you agree to with your employer. When one is looking for a job yes you sign many papers it is just like looking for an apartment the papers that you sign is used not for your bennefit but for the companies bennifit many times with alot of hidden stuff written within. And let's be real . How many of you have filled out a job application and have been able to take 1-3 days to scrutinize or totally analyze. The documents that you will be signing once you get the job. Anyone who has been hired for a company or who owns a company or is responsible for hiring knows what I am talking about. These papers are flashed in front of your eyes like flash cards and you are coached "sign here...initial here...". It is done very quick too. And when you ask questions about the pages the person doing the hiring or leaser gets fustrated and irate and say will yes you must sign all of these documents (as in now) and if you don't sign them you wont get hired or leased. Now no one is putting a gun to your head to sign it. You don't have to sign it. But everyone of you hypocrites have been in that situstion and have done the like thereof under pressure. No one should treat anyone the ways that have been mentioned by Juli. That is the reason that there is LABOR UNIONS. Now one might say ''Duh Huh...if you're dumb enough to sign without a lawyer or going over it than that is your problem. Oh ye hypocrites stop it. Everyone of you have either done it or been a party to such actions. And haven't been at ease with the results if they were neagative and know that the company is not giving justice. You all should listen to what Juli says because it is real. I was under the impression that disney took good care of their employees. Come on $7-10 an hour. And some for over 10 years. That is slave wages if you see what these people are doing. I have witnessed people who take tickets at the gates. 30 minutes later picking up trash and paper in the park. That isn't right. And 6 people in a 3 bedroom apartment and as one person said ...$6/hr, working 30-35 hrs/week, with them taking out $67-$79 a week for rent... Hey that's about $180-$210 a week minus $67-$79 leaves you with $113-$131 a week. Now lets add food expneses and clothes. That isn't any justice and let's say you did get sick it is like a corpoarate whip or monkey is on your back with no health care or bennifits if you got sick that has to come out of your own expenses that you don't have. So if you got sick you are false to work because if you don't work you can't pay your slave rent and you couldn't pay for your healthcare anyways that is corporate slavery it its highest. Atleast if you were paid well you could atleast have money saved aside for rent or anything if you were sick. But you are litereally forced to be a corporate slave. This puts a new method into having someone work for food or shelter. You are litereally like the man or woman on the corner who will work for simple food or shelter.Because your wages can afford such. Now, I see no logic in any private citizen defending "Disney" as you all have. As a psychologist it seems to me that you defenders of "Disney" are no more than agents or members of Disney's corporate body or are shareholders, or owners of stocks or investors. For, you cannot get upset with Juli. Nor the gentlemen who gave an valid fact and argument about the park. For it is true the average price today for park entry per adult (ages 10-100) is $52.00 and the average price for children (ages 3-9) is $42.00. Now why on earth should you have to pay $7-$15 dollars for parking. That is absord. You are already paying to go into the park. Now if anything parking should come with the ticket. Next it is true they make it very discouraging to even bring your children before one of those characters. The escorts actually yell at children. Who are not even doing anything strane or unusually. That is not even psychologically healthy for the little ones anyways. The lines are comprehensible as wella as the time to wait. It is a big place but not the behavior and it is true there should be more than one character in diffrent locations for the health of the character and the participants who are wating, sitting, standing in the hot sun or rain. But to you Disney Executives, and Corporate body, and or investors, share or stockholders your not slick. There is no logical in a private citizen defending something that they have no inside knowledge of. Next, those of you who claim to have work there and enjoyed it more power to you. Some people enjoy being slaves. And some people are to blind to see what is going on. And some people are so party active they can careless about what they earn in life as long as they earn something. And to the military man. It is good that Disney catered to your family. To bad to military doesn't . The VA hospitals are the worst in the nation when it comes to care and hygeine even your life. You have Vets, and soldiers who come in for just a simple cold or sore and leave out with a serious health illness or an infection due to the lack of proper medical help and hygeinics and you know I am telling the truth. To Juli, and the gentlemen who gave the facts on the park. More power to you. It is you right to speak up and speak out. And to you perpetrators a real consumer and or citizen will sit and learn not try to defend something that they obviously don't fully know about. Your response is like "oh Nike has sweatshops...well I like the shoes and they fit the people there obviously like the job they make the shoes (fit) right and no one put a gun to their head ...they make $2 a week while the average person in there country is making 20 cents they should be happy....". That kind of argument sounds like the same thing that the old slave owners or plantation owners on America's plantation would have said. "We feed um, Clothe Um...what more can they ask for...we rescued um..." Wake up people give an ear and donot be to quick to criticize. Listen and learn. Live and learn! And to you Disney people who are here posing as comming joes. Your not slick! It is cowardice...trying to defend yourselves under disguise. But you are exposed! Yes it is logical to look after your investment . But it is also logical and humane to treat your employees right and with justice!

Let's be very logical here! What Juli is saying is very serious. These are the reasons the various unions in America were established. Everyone who is anyone knows that once you start or get into an abusive or dead end job, situation or even realtionship if it consumes all of your time. It is near to impossible at that time to find something bettet some people stay at or no dead end jobs for many years. And the only time they have to themselves is usually sick time or a call in (where they make up some story that they are sick or some teagedy happened so that they can get some serious things taken care of. And even then that is not guranteed). I don't care what these clowns say about what you agree to with your employer. When one is looking for a job yes you sign many papers it is just like looking for an apartment the papers that you sign is used not for your bennefit but for the companies bennifit many times with alot of hidden stuff written within. And let's be real . How many of you have filled out a job application and have been able to take 1-3 days to scrutinize or totally analyze. The documents that you will be signing once you get the job. Anyone who has been hired for a company or who owns a company or is responsible for hiring knows what I am talking about. These papers are flashed in front of your eyes like flash cards and you are coached "sign here...initial here...". It is done very quick too. And when you ask questions about the pages the person doing the hiring or leaser gets fustrated and irate and say will yes you must sign all of these documents (as in now) and if you don't sign them you wont get hired or leased. Now no one is putting a gun to your head to sign it. You don't have to sign it. But everyone of you hypocrites have been in that situstion and have done the like thereof under pressure. No one should treat anyone the ways that have been mentioned by Juli. That is the reason that there is LABOR UNIONS. Now one might say ''Duh Huh...if you're dumb enough to sign without a lawyer or going over it than that is your problem. Oh ye hypocrites stop it. Everyone of you have either done it or been a party to such actions. And haven't been at ease with the results if they were neagative and know that the company is not giving justice. You all should listen to what Juli says because it is real. I was under the impression that disney took good care of their employees. Come on $7-10 an hour. And some for over 10 years. That is slave wages if you see what these people are doing. I have witnessed people who take tickets at the gates. 30 minutes later picking up trash and paper in the park. That isn't right. And 6 people in a 3 bedroom apartment and as one person said ...$6/hr, working 30-35 hrs/week, with them taking out $67-$79 a week for rent... Hey that's about $180-$210 a week minus $67-$79 leaves you with $113-$131 a week. Now lets add food expneses and clothes. That isn't any justice and let's say you did get sick it is like a corpoarate whip or monkey is on your back with no health care or bennifits if you got sick that has to come out of your own expenses that you don't have. So if you got sick you are false to work because if you don't work you can't pay your slave rent and you couldn't pay for your healthcare anyways that is corporate slavery it its highest. Atleast if you were paid well you could atleast have money saved aside for rent or anything if you were sick. But you are litereally forced to be a corporate slave. This puts a new method into having someone work for food or shelter. You are litereally like the man or woman on the corner who will work for simple food or shelter.Because your wages can afford such. Now, I see no logic in any private citizen defending "Disney" as you all have. As a psychologist it seems to me that you defenders of "Disney" are no more than agents or members of Disney's corporate body or are shareholders, or owners of stocks or investors. For, you cannot get upset with Juli. Nor the gentlemen who gave an valid fact and argument about the park. For it is true the average price today for park entry per adult (ages 10-100) is $52.00 and the average price for children (ages 3-9) is $42.00. Now why on earth should you have to pay $7-$15 dollars for parking. That is absord. You are already paying to go into the park. Now if anything parking should come with the ticket. Next it is true they make it very discouraging to even bring your children before one of those characters. The escorts actually yell at children. Who are not even doing anything strane or unusually. That is not even psychologically healthy for the little ones anyways. The lines are comprehensible as wella as the time to wait. It is a big place but not the behavior and it is true there should be more than one character in diffrent locations for the health of the character and the participants who are wating, sitting, standing in the hot sun or rain. But to you Disney Executives, and Corporate body, and or investors, share or stockholders your not slick. There is no logical in a private citizen defending something that they have no inside knowledge of. Next, those of you who claim to have work there and enjoyed it more power to you. Some people enjoy being slaves. And some people are to blind to see what is going on. And some people are so party active they can careless about what they earn in life as long as they earn something. And to the military man. It is good that Disney catered to your family. To bad to military doesn't . The VA hospitals are the worst in the nation when it comes to care and hygeine even your life. You have Vets, and soldiers who come in for just a simple cold or sore and leave out with a serious health illness or an infection due to the lack of proper medical help and hygeinics and you know I am telling the truth. To Juli, and the gentlemen who gave the facts on the park. More power to you. It is you right to speak up and speak out. And to you perpetrators a real consumer and or citizen will sit and learn not try to defend something that they obviously don't fully know about. Your response is like "oh Nike has sweatshops...well I like the shoes and they fit the people there obviously like the job they make the shoes (fit) right and no one put a gun to their head ...they make $2 a week while the average person in there country is making 20 cents they should be happy....". That kind of argument sounds like the same thing that the old slave owners or plantation owners on America's plantation would have said. "We feed um, Clothe Um...what more can they ask for...we rescued um..." Wake up people give an ear and donot be to quick to criticize. Listen and learn. Live and learn! And to you Disney people who are here posing as comming joes. Your not slick! It is cowardice...trying to defend yourselves under disguise. But you are exposed! Yes it is logical to look after your investment . But it is also logical and humane to treat your employees right and with justice!

Let's be very logical here! What Juli is saying is very serious. These are the reasons the various unions in America were established. Everyone who is anyone knows that once you start or get into an abusive or dead end job, situation or even realtionship if it consumes all of your time. It is near to impossible at that time to find something bettet some people stay at or no dead end jobs for many years. And the only time they have to themselves is usually sick time or a call in (where they make up some story that they are sick or some teagedy happened so that they can get some serious things taken care of. And even then that is not guranteed). I don't care what these clowns say about what you agree to with your employer. When one is looking for a job yes you sign many papers it is just like looking for an apartment the papers that you sign is used not for your bennefit but for the companies bennifit many times with alot of hidden stuff written within. And let's be real . How many of you have filled out a job application and have been able to take 1-3 days to scrutinize or totally analyze. The documents that you will be signing once you get the job. Anyone who has been hired for a company or who owns a company or is responsible for hiring knows what I am talking about. These papers are flashed in front of your eyes like flash cards and you are coached "sign here...initial here...". It is done very quick too. And when you ask questions about the pages the person doing the hiring or leaser gets fustrated and irate and say will yes you must sign all of these documents (as in now) and if you don't sign them you wont get hired or leased. Now no one is putting a gun to your head to sign it. You don't have to sign it. But everyone of you hypocrites have been in that situstion and have done the like thereof under pressure. No one should treat anyone the ways that have been mentioned by Juli. That is the reason that there is LABOR UNIONS. Now one might say ''Duh Huh...if you're dumb enough to sign without a lawyer or going over it than that is your problem. Oh ye hypocrites stop it. Everyone of you have either done it or been a party to such actions. And haven't been at ease with the results if they were neagative and know that the company is not giving justice. You all should listen to what Juli says because it is real. I was under the impression that disney took good care of their employees. Come on $7-10 an hour. And some for over 10 years. That is slave wages if you see what these people are doing. I have witnessed people who take tickets at the gates. 30 minutes later picking up trash and paper in the park. That isn't right. And 6 people in a 3 bedroom apartment and as one person said ...$6/hr, working 30-35 hrs/week, with them taking out $67-$79 a week for rent... Hey that's about $180-$210 a week minus $67-$79 leaves you with $113-$131 a week. Now lets add food expneses and clothes. That isn't any justice and let's say you did get sick it is like a corpoarate whip or monkey is on your back with no health care or bennifits if you got sick that has to come out of your own expenses that you don't have. So if you got sick you are false to work because if you don't work you can't pay your slave rent and you couldn't pay for your healthcare anyways that is corporate slavery it its highest. Atleast if you were paid well you could atleast have money saved aside for rent or anything if you were sick. But you are litereally forced to be a corporate slave. This puts a new method into having someone work for food or shelter. You are litereally like the man or woman on the corner who will work for simple food or shelter.Because your wages can afford such. Now, I see no logic in any private citizen defending "Disney" as you all have. As a psychologist it seems to me that you defenders of "Disney" are no more than agents or members of Disney's corporate body or are shareholders, or owners of stocks or investors. For, you cannot get upset with Juli. Nor the gentlemen who gave an valid fact and argument about the park. For it is true the average price today for park entry per adult (ages 10-100) is $52.00 and the average price for children (ages 3-9) is $42.00. Now why on earth should you have to pay $7-$15 dollars for parking. That is absord. You are already paying to go into the park. Now if anything parking should come with the ticket. Next it is true they make it very discouraging to even bring your children before one of those characters. The escorts actually yell at children. Who are not even doing anything strane or unusually. That is not even psychologically healthy for the little ones anyways. The lines are comprehensible as wella as the time to wait. It is a big place but not the behavior and it is true there should be more than one character in diffrent locations for the health of the character and the participants who are wating, sitting, standing in the hot sun or rain. But to you Disney Executives, and Corporate body, and or investors, share or stockholders your not slick. There is no logical in a private citizen defending something that they have no inside knowledge of. Next, those of you who claim to have work there and enjoyed it more power to you. Some people enjoy being slaves. And some people are to blind to see what is going on. And some people are so party active they can careless about what they earn in life as long as they earn something. And to the military man. It is good that Disney catered to your family. To bad to military doesn't . The VA hospitals are the worst in the nation when it comes to care and hygeine even your life. You have Vets, and soldiers who come in for just a simple cold or sore and leave out with a serious health illness or an infection due to the lack of proper medical help and hygeinics and you know I am telling the truth. To Juli, and the gentlemen who gave the facts on the park. More power to you. It is you right to speak up and speak out. And to you perpetrators a real consumer and or citizen will sit and learn not try to defend something that they obviously don't fully know about. Your response is like "oh Nike has sweatshops...well I like the shoes and they fit the people there obviously like the job they make the shoes (fit) right and no one put a gun to their head ...they make $2 a week while the average person in there country is making 20 cents they should be happy....". That kind of argument sounds like the same thing that the old slave owners or plantation owners on America's plantation would have said. "We feed um, Clothe Um...what more can they ask for...we rescued um..." Wake up people give an ear and donot be to quick to criticize. Listen and learn. Live and learn! And to you Disney people who are here posing as comming joes. Your not slick! It is cowardice...trying to defend yourselves under disguise. But you are exposed! Yes it is logical to look after your investment . But it is also logical and humane to treat your employees right and with justice!

I was a Disney castmember on the International Program for a year, completing my contract in March 2002. First things first- when you plan to go to Disney- plan to spend money, if you do want to then don't go. Everyone knows how expensive it is to visit Disney but the only thing that should matter is how amazing your children think it is! As for the park being empty- sometimes is pretty much is, you just need to do your research and not go during peak times. Their commercials are in no way false advertising- if we believed everything we see on t.v then we would go to McDonald's expecting a huge BigMac with crisp lettuce and melted cheese- not the flattened mess we usually receive. Parking is between $7-8, if you choose to use valet and pay the $10-15, then don't complain about the price! Depending on what park you go to some of them stop charging for parking past a certain time but if you go to Epcot even an hour before closing you will be there for the same reason everyone else is- the fireworks- so if you choose to only go to that park then yes you will have to pay for parking but if you went to parks all day, you only pay once. Parking is even included in alot of the ticket packages they sell now! The purpose of Disney is to be a completely magical experience for the entire family, and I still believe it is. If you see 15 Mickey's- one around every corner, then you begin to lose the magic of believing that there is only one Mickey. They are still running a business- if they hired enough people to have characters constantly out on stage they would have to employ a ridiculous amount of people! You never see children complaining, it is always the adults- well if you just forget about money for two seconds and begin to enjoy the time you have to share this amazing experience with your family then you will hve a much better time and get a lot more out of life!! If you stop 'lugging'(sounds like you're having a great time) your kids around the park and plan your day according to the character appearence/show time schedule then you will be able to do and see everything! To the people who complained about being a castmember on the CP or the IP, they do not advertise that you will make a fortune and if you talked to anyone who has ever done it you know you don't, but it was the experience that I will remember forever. Living with roomates from all over the world was an amazing experience and if you have ever lived in a college dorm- you would not be complaining about the apartments for the Programs! As for Bill- you say that you have worked there for 20 years and you pay has only been raised approx. $4.00(which I find hard to believe), then why do you still work there? If it is a problem then find a new job, if not then don't complain. Publix is a great company, but if you filled their stores with thousands of people at one time and turned off the air conditioning- i'm sure they would begin to get a lot more complaints too!:) And Yes, I worked on stage almost everyday for a year and of course there were complaints but overall it was a wonderful time and if you just have fun with people then you and they begin to have a much better time. I do agree with some of Bill points about the company about the problems that Disney is beginning to have a I truly blame all of them on the leadership(or lack of) of Michael Isenor. He has lost touch with the company and has made some very bad business calls over the last few years. To Rachel(Indianapolis, Indiana) a "soulless corporate monolith" - what has happened to you in your life to make you such a jaded human being? Yes it is a business but the purpose of it is to make children happy, and I have seen first hand how happy children are when they are there and it is a wonderful sight! They have not yet been exposed to 'real life' and all the negativity that goes with it. I would like to see you accompany a foundation that takes terminally ill children for their last wish on a trip to Disney World and hold their hand when they see Cinderella's castle for the first time and have you tell them that youu think it is a "corporate b*****d"- I think you would have a different opinion. AND Juli- you mindless, unoriginal human being, I don't care how many degrees you have if you had done any research what so ever then you would realize how much of a hypocrite you truly are. Disney and all of it's related companies are a part of a huge recycling program, every trash can is sorted and recycled, they use recycled materials and are quite innovative in their ideas. Also the majority of the people who come there going into the hospitality industry- therefore Disney/Orlando is the best place that they could possibly be for this career choice. Have you ever been is the aparments they put their staff up in, it is luxury that no college kid living at school would be able to afford! Sharing a bedroom with another person is a very small sacrifice to make and considering that most of the students are in college most of them have shared MUCH smaller dorm rooms with complete strangers and didn't have a pool, or fitness center to help ease their pain! And as for personal hygiene and personality conflicts- come on- grow up we are adults are expected to take care of ourselves and if your personality conflicts with someone else- that's life! No matter what city you work in they are all contributing to the American economy- at least they are working, they could be sitting at home bumming off of their parents like many college kids! Again for your information- College programmers are there for six months or more and International programmers are there for a year or more, if they extend their contracts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and there are many on this site that I both aggree and disaggree with but if you are going to offer an opinion please be sure that your facts are correct before you start preaching inaccurate information.

Yes Bill I am on stage everyday. Like you said it is your fault for sticking around if you thought things were that bad. You have the opportunity to read what is going on with the unions negotiations. If you where to see that the top rate is not going to change or only increase by a snall margin then it is your right to complain and let your voice be heard. Maybe it is because of employees like you that things you dnot like do not change. Because the only place you probably air your concerns is here, where it means nothing. As a union employee there are ways to change things such as the threat of a strike. I do not recall any strikes at Disney or even talks of one. (Except for the Swan and Dolphin, but they are not Disney.) And yes Bill I do understand that while Disney is the largest single site employer in Florida it is not the largest. That does not mean too much to me though. THe fact remains that the small things are broken up the easier to control. While Publix is larger they have to deal with things on a smaller scale. Flip things and make Publix the largest single site employer with as many lines of business as Disney has and then tell me how good they are.

Jason, it sounds like you don't work on stage - where most of those 52,000 to 56,000 people Disney employees do. The lower down you go, the more complaints you get. I worked off stage for a while and had a wonderful time. As for pay, my information is correct. Florida is a "right to work" state. So, whether I'm in the union or not (I am), I'd be covered by their contract. In 1983 Lead top out was $7.35/h. (The most you could make in Foods, Custodial, or Attractions - all the same labor grade). Today, top out is $11.12/h. I hate math but I think the difference is $3.77. Yes, Jason, it is unreasonable to expect so little after so much time. But no one held a gun to my head. I was stupid to stay. Always thinking it'd get better or I'd transfer into something better. Unlike wise Julie, I did not pursue more education. As for complaints, I cannot find the paper that had the Wal*Mart/Disney comment in it so I can't back that up. But Publix Supermarkes here in Florida employees more people than Disney and with a lot less complaints (not that they don't get their share). Few people know Disney, while the largest single site employeer in Florida, is not the largest employeer in Florida. Jason, yes it is hard to please everone. But most of the complaints I hear (and that I have) deal with fairness. Get someone with better math skills than I to figure out for you what Michael Eisner makes an hour. Just to be unreasonable, ask them to figure that he workes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I believe you'll find what he makes a year at this unreasonable calculated rate is more than I've seen in the last 20 years. And I'm sure he doesn't work 24/7.

Bill I know some of what you say may be true, but getting only $3.77 in raises over twenty years seems a little unreasonable to me. There are two possiblities to this. 1) you quit sometime and came back. 2) You are not in the union and I do assume that you are in an area protected by the union since you mentioned custodial and attractions. If either of these are correct then the reasons for he lack of increases is your fault. the union contracts have the raises built in. I am a Disney cast member and do not know a bunch of unhappy cast members. And yes Disney does get a lot of complaints, look at the sheer number of employees they have. that is going to lead to complaints. In WDW alone they have between 52,000 and 56,000. It would be hard to please all of them, DOn't you think? Proud Didsney Cast Member

Julie, you are correct on all points. I have worked for Disney for over 20 years. An interesting stat I just read said that only Wall*Mart has more complaints from workers than Disney. That said. Most people that work for Disney LIKE Disney. Those that like it I've found, overlook the faults. Denial? I believe so. I too remember the "good ol' days" when we worked for a company that respected it's employees and understood our lives were not owned by Disney. I believe Walt would be very sad at the decline of his company (Fact: our stock is worth HALF what it was just 10 years ago!) As for college program - when it was Magic Kingdom College program, many, many future managers came from those eager kids that worked like slaves because they knew they could come back as managers. Today, Disney only uses them as cheap labor. And you college kids listen up! Yes, you probably will have a wonderful time. Most of the cast you will work with IS wonderful. But I too could do just about anything for 6 months if I knew that's all it would be. Julie, you were smart to leave. I wish I had you education! I continue to look for another job but, lets face it, I'm topped out (make the most money I can make in the position I'm in). Where can I find a job that will pay the same or more after saying, "How many in your party" for 20 years. Before 9/11 I did fine. Since then I've never gotten 40 hours. My debts have skyrocketed! I'm so far behind now I don't know how I'll make it. Rachel of Winter Springs - How much is your mortgage? When I started in Disney (Custodial) I easily afforded my home. In 20 years everything has gone up EXCEPT my pay! In 20 years I've gotten EXACTLY $3.77 hourly increase. My monthly water bill now just about uses all of that. And if you visited Walt Disney World and had a good time, that's wonderful. The Disney Company will be glad to know their advertising dollars are paying off.. But have we gotten better? NO! We are dirtier (I know, I cleaned it up!) We have fewer (less count) helpful cast members (who still must do the same amount of work). And we do not keep our parks as refurbished as we once did. (I don't believe there is any visitor that's been coming over the years that hasn't seen this. I get comments daily about the upkeep - or lack there of.) It's the over time decay that hurts the old timer cast members the most. Oh and our benefits - have they gone up? NO each year we get cutbacks in that too. (Of course this is true in most companies but, with all the money Disney spends telling the world how wonderful we are, you'd think we that do the work would get better options.) Finally, I'd like to point out that the average income in Orlando is 31,000! (This is a published stat. You can find it on Monster.com.) Most of Orlando's jobs cater to tourists. Read that as "low paying." Disney does pay better than most for the type of work it offers. But, I still have to pay my mortgage, taxes, etc. It'd be nice to eat once in a while too. And we as hourly cast members are, for the most part, treated like a thing, not a person. This is not to say all management is horrid. Some of my best friends are in management. But the higher you go up in management, the less contact you have with "the little guy" and, as a result, your decisions are made by $$$, not the plight of your subordinates. Julie, I commend you for taking a stand. Not one person that works for Disney can say they don't know a bunch of unhappy cast members. To say so would be a lie and they know it.

Jasper, I am not making any assumptions about Juli. She is talking about Disney and how people take jobs away because they accept low paying jobs. Well so does every other major company.. Wal-Mart ect. Also the comment about the parents who let their kids go there, well she is assuming that they don't care, maybe she is wrong. or how about.. >>>>>Expend YOUR time and energy making your children happy; don't rely on a video or a character to do it for you. I know why; because you're too lazy, and Mommy doesn't want to break a nail. >>>> that's a nice comment also.. I basically said that she has valid points but don't stop there, I am sure she shops at major retailers and food chains. She mentions nothing about them, maybe she goes there, and therefore she is supporting them. Personally I think she is making a good point. But don't be putting people down trying to do it. Just maybe I was one of those parents that had a wife that didn't want to break a nail. I am sure she is filling her tank right now so she can go somewhere. Wonder where that oil comes from? Nothing against Juli, just don't talk bad about people you know nothing about. As for my age working, I applied when I was 13 started in the summer by then I turned 14, my mistake.

Jeff, why must you make assumptions about Juli? Maybe you should spend a bit more time, getting your story straight before you go off on someone else. Please read your post, and tell us, at what age did you start working? Was it 14 as you originally stated, or was it 13 as you mentioned a bit further down in your rebuttal?

Disney is truly a rip off. when we missed our hotel shuttle we called a taxi. Ok we knew it would cost. But we never knew that Disney charged Parking fees of $7 just to let the cab drop us off. The rest of the rip offs are already documented. I dont think they get much return business. By the way DisneyLand is superior.

I just wanted to say hoorah for you, and keep speaking your mind, especially about Disney. I have no opinion on their employee practices (since I've never worked there), but I can definately believe everything you say. The Disney company in and of itself is a corporate b*****d and a scourge upon the Earth. I have been to the park once, as part of a school band trip (to march in the holiday parade) when I was in school. It. Was. Hell. Of course, we were there the week after Christmas (up to the New Year). Ha! I survived though. Maybe it was because I was 18, but I saw no wonder, just a soulless corporate monolith. Anyway. I'm personally digusted by people who have to defend Disney because of some misguided, nostalgic vision of it's "magic" -- yeah, whatever. It's a buisiness, and a big one, and therefore dirty. I have some choice opinions about ol Walt himself, but anyway. Stay strong chick, some people aren't so naive or quick to judge.

Hmm interesting information. I don't really have much to say except that I am sure that Juli does not shop at any major retailers, buy any goods from anywhere, doesn't have health insurance, car insurance and the list goes on. The fact that Disney offers young adults a chance to learn how to manage money and be responsible could probably be on of the best things around. Some of us may remember the JPTA. I started working at 14, yes 14 Juli and made minimum wage. In case you don't know I was overwhelmed when minimum wage made it to 2.95 an hour. Yes I worked very hard, was practically a slave at times it seemed to me, but it taught me a lot of things. Now I am not saying that what Disney does is right, I know they hire part time so they don't have to provide benefits, just like Wal-Mart and every other company that can get away with it. Also, just because I take my kids there doesn't mean I am some kind of millionaire or person who lets the TV world or whatever run my life, I work hard for what I have and I like to travel when I can ANYWHERE you see I save money when I need to go somewhere and I plan what I am going to spend. When that's done, I go back to work and make a living just like I have done since I was 13. The young adults that Disney employs during certain times will have fun and learn a lot about people and being away from home. Yes there will be the ones that don't like it, just like everywhere else. Well in closing this mess here Juli, don't put gas in your car, when you put your shoes on think twice about the people who make them ohh and the makeup.. Cant forget about that.. Juli I see your point, and agree with it in many places, but to say what you are saying and only applying it to certain aspects of your life in hypocritical.. shucks the internet.. all kinds of bad stuff happens on it, yet I see you posting here.. you are supporting it, just like millionaires do for DisneyAnother thing, while I don't care to take the time to read this and check for correct spelling or grammar (wasted my time enough already), I also have 2 college degrees, AAS and a BS.. but you know something? I am no different then the smart guy down the road with none. just my two cents..

Oh, come on! We had the best vacation ever there when my daugher was 9 years old. We expected to pay alot, and did, but ... I still love the pics I took of her getting hugged by Tiger and the Genie. We stayed at the hotel (package deal) and got into ToonTown an hour before the park opened. We picked our vacation time to begin after school started, so had a few less people to deal with there. Over all - we'd go again in a minute - as long as it was during late Sept - May time frame!

Ok first off Juli, lets think about something. If you go to school to be a teacher...you can do an internship ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD...and guess what?! NO PAY AT ALL! NONE! And you still have to pay for a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear...etc. So stop whining about Disney and how they have poor housing etc. You are suggesting that college students dont live in 3 bedroom apartments and have like 5 people living there anywhere else. How do you think college students make their rent?! My goodness, you are sheltered. If you think that college students arent already breaking fire hazards and doing other "sexual" things in their apartments you must be fooling yourself, or really prude. Like I said, getover yourself. You are looking to get attacked on this site because you are very stupid, you dont think about the world as a whole. Think about all those teacher interns who are getting paid ZERO dollars, to go into one of the lowest paying jobs in the US. Think about other people then yourself for a change. Get a life Juli

Juli, Say what you will about how bad Disney is or was...the true Disney lovers will never faulter under your criticisms. Whether or not I do my internship in Florida or NJ, I suppose my low pay internship would be effecting someone. As you know, in order to get a degree it is required that you complete so many internship hours. At my University I was required to complete two internships. So a college student really has no other choice but to go out into the working world and make little money to complete those requirements. My internship at Disney has helped me and many of my friends to very properous careers and I would not take back that experience for the world. You bark at poor innocent college students who make "peanuts" for the demise of Disney, you are seriosly disillusioned. It is the big wigs like Eisner and Mitchell who live lavish lifestyles and steal from poor cast members who are responsible for the demise of Disney. I would also like to comment on your remark about college students getting out of their parent's hair for the summer and finally making money. I as well as all of my friends in college worked to make money to cover our expenses and some of us our tuition. As a college graduate you shouldn't make such crude remarks about your peers, I'm sure that you too worked while going through college. Making statements like that just get people even more pissed off at you and open yourself up for more nasty rebuttals. I hope you find peace!

In response to the unfounded personal attacks against me, personally, here goes: A) I have TWO college degrees, thank you very much. B) Never fired from a job anywhere. C) Never made $9 at Disney but the job still stunk. Those of you who feel so compelled to "protect" Disney aren't smart enough to realize you're the ones hurting the *REAL*, permanent DISNEY EMPLOYEES. You go to Central Florida and take a low-paying job part-time and so get little or no benefits. You take jobs from permanent residents with families so you can have "fun in the sun." You allow yourselves to be victimized in the short term, under the guise of "paid internship." Um, here's an idea: Look at the bigger picture. Do you recycle? Use environmentally friendly products and practices? If so, here's another suggestion: BE RIGHT WITH THE WORLD--don't take a job for piddly wages which allows a mean-spirited corporate giant to cut the hours of the local residents who pick up the slack when you college kiddies go home. Don't you realize that by working "temporary" or "casual regular" or "part time" or "seasonal," those hours are cut from the schedule of somebody who would otherwise be entitled to health insurance and other benefits? Sure, the college program seems like a GREAT idea to parents (who want their kids to get out of their hair for the summer AND HELP PAY THEIR OWN WAY FOR A CHANGE). Do you really think it's a great idea for SIX people to live in a THREE-BEDROOM APARTMENT? Fire safety aside, how about personal hygiene, risky behaviors, and personality conflicts? And do you think the value of a similar-sized apartment in Central Florida, home of the $7-per-hour job, is really $900 per month, if it's true one person pays $150 monthly? Oh, and what about when you get sick on College Program and can't take time off because you need the money and your parents can't send it to you? You go to work sick and spread your germs to the people who have no health insurance because you've resulted in their hours being cut to the point that they're ineligible. College Program Students...the Scourge of Central Florida. I've got a better idea; Get a REAL JOB. NEAR WHERE YOU LIVE. Let Disney pay those who live in Central Florida what they're worth, including benefits. Maybe now that Eisner's been revealed to be the chump he's always been, a percentage of his bountiful bonuses can go to help the little people. All 58,000+ of them. And just because I'm angry at Disney doesn't make ME a bad person....I've just been where you haven't. No, I wasn't "lucky" (or stupid, I think) enough to be part of the college program. And I got out of the company when I saw what a self-destructive place it is for the long-timers, not those who come here for three months.

Juli, Juli, Juli. It's clear from your nonsensical, lunatic ravings that you are a very bitter, very disillusioned person; you say you 'quit' the Company, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that in fact you were terminated for your poor attitude and lack of judgement. You say you had friends who couldn't afford to eat anything but 'cat food'? Is that really the fault of the Company--because I would be more likely to believe that it was only the fault of the friends in question for spending all their money on booze or something else unneccesary. Let's take a logical look at this situation. Your wages may not have been great, but poor you! You could have chosen not to work at the resort, or you could have quit long before you finally grew a spine and did so. No one forced you to work for the Company, and the Company does not OWE you anything except for the wages that were agreed upon when you were hired. You say that the Company doesn't pay enough for you or others to be able to afford decent housing? I am a Cast Member, and I live very well, in a high end area, with money to spare and enough to put my boyfriend through a 50k a year college. (By the way, I am a part time Cast Member, and I am smart enough to take what I earn and use it for things like bills, rent, my boyfriend's tuition, two cars, etc.) I am able to manage my money adequately and have no problems to complain of. If I did have issues, I surely wouldn't be blaming the Company. You may have financial problems, dear, but they are YOUR PROBLEMS, and you need to stop whining and make something of yourself; quit blaming a company who no longer employs you. Grow up, get over yourself, and realize that your babbling incessant whining is not going to 'shed the light' on anything, nor 'spread the word' about Disney. There is no word to spread. If Disney were really as awful to work for as you purport, there wouldn't be an unending supply of people who are willing to work for them...many of us still believe that this is a great company, worth working for, worth upholding, and definitely better than many other places at which we could seek employment. The Magic is real...I only feel pity for you that you are unable to see or feel it.

Juli, I am very upset that you made such degrading comments about the WDW College Program. I actually completed the College Program (which I'm sure you didn't, you probably didn't even go to college). We were paid about $7.00, which is higher than minimum wage, we were charged a small fee for an apartment that we shared with 5 other people from around the country. I belive the charge was less than $150 a month, were in this world can you live some where for less than a $150 a month. We were given FREE transportation to any of Disney's property (hotels, restaurants and theme parks). I don't know where you got your information that they charge you for transportation. We also had free access to all Disney theme parks, if you wanted to you could go every single day. AND NO, I NEVER HAD TO EAT CAT FOOD!!! I'm not someone who has a wealthy family and I only had the money that I earned from working 30-35 hours at the Magic Kingdom, but I ate at some of Florida's best restaurants. We even had money to visit other areas of Florida (Coco Beach and Clearwater). While you are on the College Program you are required to complete a certain number of class room hours where you learn vital business and customer service information. Being apart of the WDW College Program was the best and smartest thing that I have ever done. Companies are truely impressed and curious about the time spent on the College Program. And the 5 strangers (as you call them) that I lived with, 2 of them came from Mississippi and Virginia to my wedding 4 years after our time on the College Program. I guess you must also be a hermet if you think the experience of living with people from around the world is a bad thing! GROW UP AND GET A LIFE, next time you complain about something try getting your facts straight. To Sarah, I hope you took the opportunity to be apart of the College Program...you won't regret it. I didn't, neither did any of the 100s of people I met. ENJOY!!! One more comment...incase Juli didn't know this...MOST INTERNSHIPS DO NOT PAY YOU AT ALL!!!

THANKS for the laugh. You people are the silliest bunch of wacky kids i have ever met. i am laughing my butt off now, reading all these comments, and you all are getting so upset over a theme park. also, the comment about "don't punch the characters in the head, or pull their tails" made a great scrolling marquee for my screensaver. "Also, heads are attached to guess what? Heads. Character heads also tend to be held on by chin straps. What happens if you punch a characters head or try to pull it off? Whiplash. Sprained necks. Physical Therapy for several months straight. " How funny!!! Everyone knows you have to wait in line, pay a lot of money, and if you are treated badly (ummm eating cat food)go work somewhere else!!! I love America.

It is true that the pay sucks and you have cramped living space, but i think you get what you want out of it. If you have a negative attitude you will not have a pleant experence, if you just think of it as a learning expernece then you will have a good time and meet a lot of cool people allong the way.

I did the college program in 1998 and 1999. Both times I had an absolute blast. I loved it so much the first term I applied and did the advanced internship. You really don't make much money but it's an internship, what do you expect? The housing was decent... all six of us were rarely in the apartment at the same time so space wasn't an issue. I would recommend bringing your car if possible, it's nice to be able to go on trips to Miami, Cocoa Beach, etc. I was in Attractions in EPCOT. The people I was with were great, I still keep in touch with several of them. I actually met my fiance there. The seminars were all right but the speakers were the most interesting. I remember seeing one of the Imagineers describing the new rides that were being implemented and an animator telling us how he works. I would definitely suggest going if you have the opportunity. It does look good on your resume but more than that it was an incredible experience.

Hi I was recently accepted into the 'internship'/college program at Disney, and have been trying to decide whether or not to accept the position. I was given Quick Food and Beverage as my 'role'. We're getting paid $6/hr, working 30-35 hrs/week, with them taking out $67-$79 a week for rent. We supposedly live with five others, in a private, fully furnished apartment in a gated community. We supposedly have free access to All the parks and such, and have classes to take part in. I've heard that having Disney is one of the best things to have on your resume, but after all the reports and comments I've read, I"m not so sure anymore... I would Extremely appreciate some feedback about it. Emails would be grately preffered and accepted. I just dont want to set myself up for the biggest mistake of my life.... :(

In rebuttal to your posting about how badly Disney treats its employees: our son just finished a College Program Internship at Disney. He worked for seven months as a custodial host on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Overall, he had a very positive experience. Yes, he only earned $6-7 per hour and had to pay $39/week to share a Disney-owned apartment with five other interns. I wanted to send him extra money to help him out. But my husband's good judgment to let him stick it out and budget his money was a very good lesson. Our son knows what it's like to be an hourly worker and knows when he is a manager how he will treat the hourly workers. I am sorry you did not have a good experience. But we often must look inside ourselves to make the best of a situation and not blame others for our unhappiness. No company or employer owes us anything other than the agreement we made with our employer. If you agree to work for an employer for $8/hour and no benefits, then you cannot complain when that is exactly what you get.

What in the world would make you think that the largest vacation destination in the world would not have many people there? Maybe you should rethink your comments. Any company is going to glorify there product when the advertise. When you go to a store do you expect to "This toy is a piece of crap and will break within ten minutes of opening" on the box. NO, but that is reality. The reality of WDW is that it is a busy resort. Get off the glue!

What in the world would make you think that the largest vacation destination in the world would not have many people there? Maybe you should rethink your comments. Any company is going to glorify there product when the advertise. When you go to a store do you expect to "This toy is a piece of crap and will break within ten minutes of opening" on the box. NO, but that is reality. The reality of WDW is that it is a busy resort. Get off the glue!

What in the world would make you think that the largest vacation destination in the world would not have many people there? Maybe you should rethink your comments. Any company is going to glorify there product when the advertise. When you go to a store do you expect to "This toy is a piece of crap and will break within ten minutes of opening" on the box. NO, but that is reality. The reality of WDW is that it is a busy resort. Get off the glue!

What in the world would make you think that the largest vacation destination in the world would not have many people there? Maybe you should rethink your comments. Any company is going to glorify there product when the advertise. When you go to a store do you expect to "This toy is a piece of crap and will break within ten minutes of opening" on the box. NO, but that is reality. The reality of WDW is that it is a busy resort. Get off the glue!

This is for King, You are a moron, if you would even waste a day ticket or any money to go to the park an hour before closing. What on earth would you do in 1 hour? Especially if you are B*tching about having to wait an hour in line for ONE thing! I have one thing to say about parking fees.....DONT DRIVE YOURSELF! Stay in a HOTEL THAT OFFERS FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE! HELLO PEOPLE! Do some research! I have been to disney about 7 times now, with kids, senior citizens, teenagers, and adults.....EVERYONE has LOVED it. The kids that came with never complained about the heat and we were there in June. You rent a stroller, that way they can sit in the heat while they wait in line. Go to toontown in Magic Kingdom. THere are lines that are INSIDE, so its not HOT, with ALL different disney characters at this special tent. You can see Mickey, Minnie, The Princess's, Pluto, donald, pooh, etc....YOu need to learn to read up on vacations before you go! DIsney has a website, so do many other people who attend disney, there are tons of books about disney that you can rent from libraries or buy at book stores! Disney Vacations arent meant to be cheap so get over that. And pick a better time of year to go. This is for Juli, I have a VERY Good friend who did the college program at disney world for over 5 years. This was recently like within the last 2 years, and he LOVED it. So dont tell me working at disney is HORRIBLE. He loved it, he loved the pay, he loved the experience, ect. If you hated the job so much then why didnt you quit? You probably work for Universal and that is why you are on here bashing Disney. You probably have never even worked at Disney before in your life! Besides $9.00 an hour right now is pretty good pay. You wont get that at Mcdonalds, and Disney World is going to look better on a resume.

I have worked in the character department at Disney and Universal. Both run their character meet and greets approximately the same regarding set lengths. Depending on temperature and humidity, we either do 30 minute sets (usually in winter, most of spring & late fall) or 20 minute sets. And NO, there is no air conditioning. Generally, the last ten minutes you are in your in your own personal sauna. Why do this type of job? The shows. For dancers, it was an opportunity to work in the entertainment department, get connections for better work, go on internal show auditions...etc. Some people really like kids. (not me...I was in it because I got to dance in shows ). Anyway, here are some things to consider: #1 if you want to see a specific character and that character is about to leave set, please do not throw a fit. They are extremely hot, needing air, water, a break. Trust me, the parks stretch each set time as much as they can get away with legally according to the health department. By the time it's time to leave set, they are extremely hot/thirsty/exhausted. Simply ask the escort where and what time that character will be seen next. Or any other character. All escorts should have a daily grid that lists all set times and locations. They change day to day, so only get info on that day. #2 DO NOT hit characters. It may look like they're well padded, but mostly padding is only in specific areas to add shape to costume, not intended to protect the person from stupid people. Tails are attached to pieces that wrap around a persons back. I know of a woman who's tail got turned clockwise by some moron, and ended up in the hospital, because they screwed up her back because of it. Also, heads are attached to guess what? Heads. Character heads also tend to be held on by chin straps. What happens if you punch a characters head or try to pull it off? Whiplash. Sprained necks. Physical Therapy for several months straight. You ever see that escort wearing a neck brace standing next to a character? Chances are that's how it happened. Please, please teach your children to be nice. I have actually heard parents tell their kids to hit the characters because they think it's funny. #3 for your own kids health, I really, really don't recommend you tell your kid to kiss the characters nose. Do you have any idea how many snot-nosed kids are shoved into a character's face in a day to kiss it's nose. No wonder kids are always sick. #4 one picture of your family. Just because you were irresponsible with birth control and ended up with four or five kids, does not mean you should hog up the majority of the 20-30 minute sets when there's a long line behind you. Shove them all in the same picture. One pic. Eckerds makes duplicates. #5 normal sized pens and paper for autographs. And no capped pens, please. just click ones. Kids aren't smart enough to figure out how to open them half the time, and the hands of the characters are usually to big or too slippery to grip them to take them apart.

Marvin, I didn't say I worked for $9 an hour; I said thousands of people do. Like the person you mentioned who worked there in the 80's and loved it, I was there then, too, and it was a great place to work. The days before Eisner and Wells were heaven. Times have changed. Some years after the "empire" began, we were taken to a meeting in the AMC Theatres when the building was new. We were told to either "get on the bus" and buy into the new philosophies and "get off the bus." At that moment I knew the company had changed from Walt's "family oriented" one to a monster machine too greedy for its own good. And that's exactly how it has played out. I, personally, was careful to NOT be swept up by the greed machine. Instead I methodically worked to better myself professionally and, when the time was right, I jumped ship to a much better opportunity. Went from having my head against the glass ceiling to breaking through and moving on up. Never looked back, except to extend a hand to my former coworkers stuck in the mire. I'm glad your family has had an opportunity to get something from Disney; too bad it's a publicity stunt. They kiss up to "the military" because it's THE THING TO DO....not because they care about you or your family. They do it to benefit themselves.

Juli, you sound bitter, I was raised in Fl and used to go to Orlando as a kid in the summer long before Disney Land in CA was built. There wasn't much to do there then. I have been to Disney Land in CA with my wife and 4 kids while I was in the Arm Forces (Reduced price for passes thanks to Disney) Been to Disney World in FL with my wife and 4 kids,(also reduced prices for passes thanks to Disney) one of my sons even went to the Disney Park in Japan (also reduced price for pass thanks to Disney). If you worked for Disney World as you claimed and was unhappy with their pay, housing and food, then why didn't you leave, Where you force to work there aganist your will? I knew a young lady that worked for Disney World back in the 80's and loved it. I cannot believe that this was your main source of income working for $9 an hour, and you worked for Disney for 10 years, the way that you feel about Disney why did you stay there that long? Employee benefits are freebees given out by the Company you work for, I repete Freebees. I worked for one of the largest Insurance Companies and they NEVER GAVE OUT FREEBEES. You wrote "How many people have attended the private parties Disney throws for the travel companies? I did, and it was heads above my ten-year employee banquet experience. Shows who's important to the corporate monster, and it's not the people who work there". Juli think about this, who brings in the as you say "Joe Millionaire" to the Park. The Travel Companies not you. then after seeing where you are from I can understand your comments "Tallahassee, Florida" the cesspool of FL.PS do they know how to vote in Palm Beach Co. now?

Why would ANYBODY go to Disney theme parks? Do you really believe the hype they're putting out to you on their own television channels? Those who do support a company that mistreats its employees...treats them like DOGS. Do you patronize the companies that use slave labor to make their garments? Do you shop at roadside stands in front of the "quarters" housing provided for field workers? One is no better than the other in this case. I quit working at Disney after many years because the gross abuse of employees was simply intolerable. Family men and women given 30 hours a week at ten bucks and hour (after eight years on the job) and are expected to pay for sky-high Disney-owned housing from it. Ever meet anybody who worked there on the College or International Programs? They are brought in from out of the state or country, given an almost minimum wage job, and then put up in housing two people to a bedroom (a total stranger shares your most personal space!) at some ridiculously high cost. Their transportation is, of course, provided _by Disney_ since they do not have cars. Is it free? Nope. These people are sooooo poor they are nothing but indentured servants. I actually met people whom I found out later were eating cat food because it was all they could afford. Medical care? Forget it. They get no employee benefits and don't have enough left to buy personal care products, much less a doctor visit or medical care. Why don't you hear more about these atrocities outside the immediate Orlando area? Simple, who buys a zillion dollars a year in advertising? Disney. Who pays to build roadways in Central Florida? Disney. Who creates public recognition programs and holds ceremonies to get their face into the public spectrum all the time? Disney. Do you think the newspapers are going to trash a company from whom they generate millions of dollars in advertising? Not likely. Thanks to the Rip-Off Report for spreading the news!! Not too many people ever hear about the underhanded stuff Disney does, like a few years ago when Disney swooped in and scooped up every single bond dollar Orange County had available for affordable housing one year. What'd they do with it? Built Country Gardens Apartments in Winter Garden.....that is still too high priced for their own employees to afford and, as a result, they locked every other agency out of the ability to help anyone else with low-cost housing. There is some justice rought by Mother Nature, though; guess what apartment complex was damaged when the tornadoes went through a few years ago? COUNTRY GARDENS. There really *is* some justice, even if it is the kind with no voice (nature). What goes around really does come around...too bad some innocent people, who have nothing to do with Disney except they needed an affordable place to live, had to suffer. C'est la vie, I guess. You tourists who stick your heads in the sand about these abuses make me sick. Sure, you need some place to take little Buffy and Bobby on vacation; why not take them camping? Expend YOUR time and energy making your children happy; don't rely on a video or a character to do it for you. I know why; because you're too lazy, and Mommy doesn't want to break a nail. You'd rather put the kiddies up in the room with a Mouseified sitter and hang out on the golf courses or in the fancy bars getting hammered. You grump and moan where you live when you don't like the way a business does it's people, but then you slink down here and patronize the worst abusers in Central Florida, encouring their maltreatment of workers, or at least not looking at the whole picture. Ever ask theme park workers how wonderful their jobs are? Ask about their benefits...how they've changed. Do they get any? Find the people who have been there 5 or 10 years, not the ones who started last month.....get the real story for yourself. Oh, and what else has the Disney corporation done, headed by filthy rich Michael Eisner? They are the ones who tore up 10,000 acres of land WALT DISNEY himself set aside to be preserved as natural in perpetuity, and on it they built one of the places y'all come visit, Animal Kingdom. It should be called Wildlife Condom for the big screwing it put on the animals that lived on that land. Do you think they were bussed across Highway 192 to their "new" home at the mitigation site, the Walker Ranch, now known as The Nature Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve? I wonder if TNC knows they're in bed with the worst of the worst? I'm sure they do, but they don't care because it's free land to preserve and that's their primary goal. I guess they'll take whatever they can get, no matter what pristine land is decimated in the process. Some green is, apparently, better than none. To Michael Eisner, his GREEN bonus makes the little employees, who pay the same for milk and bread that he does, GREEN WITH ENVY! Didja konw Disney OWNS three cities? Lake Buena Vista, Bay Lake and Reedy Creek. The only people who are allowed to live in their "kingdom" (empire, really) are those hand picked and placed to live in the trailer park on Royal Oak, off Buena Vista Drive. Makes sense, then, that those who live ON PROPERTY will vote the way they NEED TO to help "the kingdom." Do you think they would stay at the Royal Oak trailer court very long if they voted against what Disney wanted? Not likely. Remember when Celebration was designed and built? Of course Disney didn't want all of 'those people' also able to vote in their little empire, so how'd they avoid it? They deannexed the property on which Celebration was built and gave it to Osceola County. Let the people who live in Celebration, who might not be willing to vote Disney's way, vote in Osceola County instead of the 3 cities!!! Talk about manipulation at every level. Ever break a tooth in a restaurant at Disney and try to get them to cover it? Run over their parking lot "do not enter" tire spikes, that happen not to be working correctly, and puncture a tire (or 2 or 4!); think they'll make that right for you as an employee? NOPE. They're the masters of take*take*take*take*take but give next to nothing to the fifty thousand plus hard-working people in their employ. Another example: Employee benefits.....Used to be park employees got tickets four times yearly, plus a main gate pass they could use 12 times a year with no blackout dates or other restrictions on time period of use. Now they get tickets twice annually, and gate passes can only be used during certain periods of time, limited to 3x per quarter. This reduces the value of the benefit since smart employees avoid the park during the hot summer months but can't use their pass 12 times as they choose. I say what difference does it make that an employee, coming to the park as a guest, goes whenever they can since they earned the right. Disney says to employees, "Our guests, for whom you serve tirelessly, are more important humans than you because they have money to spend here; you are allowed to come only at our slower times, when hardly anybody wants to be here. If employees want the REAL "guest experience," if their pass isn't usable, they must PAY FOR IT!! (i.e., July 4, the day of hugest fireworks). Sadly, hourly Disney employees can't afford to "pay their way into the parks;" somebody who makes seven or nine bucks an hour, 30 hours a week (that's all the hours available since the cutbacks after 9/11), who has to pay for a home and a car and insurance certainly can't afford a $50-plus park ticket for him/herself, much less with a family. Here's where you tourist saps with big-money jobs come in; Disney woos you into letting their little servile employees "perform" for you like organ grinder monkeys while you spend your hard-earned cash pretending you're some Joe Millionaire who can spend $200 bucks a night for a hotel room. Sickening. How many people have attended the private parties Disney throws for the travel companies? I did, and it was heads above my ten-year employee banquet experience. Shows who's important to the corporate monster, and it's not the people who work there. Sure, they're not all bad, but they're no Universal Studios. Universal Studios really IS employee friendly, and while they don't have the same deep pockets or clout Disney does, they make a much better attempt at treating their help like humans, not monkeys. Spend your vacation where you want.......just don't be fooled by pixie dust anywhere you go. Open your eyes....talk to people....Keep an open mind, and then ENTERTAIN YOUR FAMILY YOURSELF!

The original poster was right. It costs 15 dollars to park your car with the valet. Instead of parking like normal in like "C for Cinderella" you can have Jiminy Cricket park your car. Last time though we parked with Robin Hood and when we came back our ashtray was full of cigarette butts and the radio was on a different station.

The ads aren't misleading; you just chose the wrong time of the year! Hot sun = BAD TIMING!!! A vacation (like any big decision) requires a little insight, a little planning, and a little research. (Try "mousesavers.com" for starters. They have lots of completely free tips on how to make your trip fun, and they are NOT affiliated with WDW. They are just people like myself who like to go there.) There's a few no brainers. The most important one is the headlines of mousesavers.com. It's simple: WHEN you go is EVERYTHING. PERIOD. we went (our last trip) in February. We stayed in All Stars Movies which was superb. We left on Valentines day after an AWESOME Norway/Viking feast. The lines were non existance, the weather was PERFECT (not too hot, not too cold, just right) The longest we waited in line for anything was we waited in line 30 minutes ONCE to ride "Dumbo", which my son "just HAD to ride" at the wrong time. Otherwise we were looking at 5 minute waits. (15 minutes for Alien Encounter, 10 minutes for Aerosmith's roller coaster, 0 minutes for spaceship Earth, etc.) We boarded the new Test Track and never stopped walking. There was NEVER ANY wait PERIOD!!! At Disney's Animal Kingdom, We took the website's advise and boarded the main attraction (the safari) first thing through the gates, we were on in 3 minutes flat! Our son got an autograph from EVERY character, and we never waited more than 5 minutes. HOW? We read the tips, and listened to what they were trying to tell us!!! Basic. Another trick is to (if you stay on property which I recommend) go to the theme park that has the early entry for that day and then just before lunch switch to another park. The early entry park will always be more crowded that particular day. We brought a huge electric skillet from home, and fresh veges and Indonesian stir fry sauces in a bottle. We ate the same AWESOME supper for 3 of the nights, and it was GREAT! (It was also nutritious and healthy; you need it there!) We managed a free fridge because my wife was nursing, and it held all our food. We did a 6 night / 5 day hopper/ deal for 2 adults and 2 children for a total of $1300.00. That was EVERYTHING. Food, travel, lodging (on Disney Property), 5 day hopper passes each, souvenirs, etc. It can be done, but you must do your homework. Look at it like this: You want it to be special, and it's going to cost you, so shouldn't you at least TRY to be prepared? BTW I do have one gripe. I sure saw a lot of waste; not by Disney, by the vacationers. Why on Earth do people buy a $2.00 water, drink a little sip, then throw it in the trash? You can (BTW) get free water anywhere in Disney if you just ask. Why do people pay $3.50 for a pretzel, take a nibble, and throw it away? STUPIDITY. Sheer stupidity. You don't have to eat like a bum, but waste is stupidity. I guess it all boils down to a little common sence, and a desire to learn and listen. There's plenty of info, but you have to have the motivation to look for it.

Ok I can't believe what i saw when i saw this post. I live in Florida and have had season/seasonal passes (annual passes of different levels) for more than 2 years and the first year we had them we had to pay for parking and right now the present price for parking a car at Disney World is 7 dollars i believe. It may have gone up to 8 but i'm not positive on that. It is not 10 of that i am sure and I can also state for a fact that only a moron would go to the park an hour before it closed if you have regular day passes. after all why would you pay 50+ dollars for a day pass (or even use one of your days on a 4-7 day pass same price either way) for only an hour of fun. and Secondly because we have the types of passes we have we sometimes go over in the evening just to go to a great place to eat and frequently there are no parking attendants on duty after 6 pm This has happened to us more than once in the last 6 months since we got our new passes. So i'm sorry you seem to have a bitter attitude but next time get your facts right if you have a legitimate complaint then state it but this is not a place for slander and stating half truths about any company is just that--slander. I hope that others use this board for productive evaluation of con artists etc.

This report made me laugh when I read it... Who ever wrote it must not be able to read because the sign at the entrance to the parking lots states that the cost to park a normal car is $7.00 inclusive of tax. And for that $7.00 you get admission into all 4 parking lots for the day. Secondly normally after about 4:30 or 5pm they will stop charging for parking all together! Just thought you might want to know your composer of the ripp off report was incorrect!

This report made me laugh when I read it... Who ever wrote it must not be able to read because the sign at the entrance to the parking lots states that the cost to park a normal car is $7.00 inclusive of tax. And for that $7.00 you get admission into all 4 parking lots for the day. Secondly normally after about 4:30 or 5pm they will stop charging for parking all together! Just thought you might want to know your composer of the ripp off report was incorrect!

This report made me laugh when I read it... Who ever wrote it must not be able to read because the sign at the entrance to the parking lots states that the cost to park a normal car is $7.00 inclusive of tax. And for that $7.00 you get admission into all 4 parking lots for the day. Secondly normally after about 4:30 or 5pm they will stop charging for parking all together! Just thought you might want to know your composer of the ripp off report was incorrect!

If the park were truly "empty," how do you think Disney World would be able to stay in business? It is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world - of course it is going to be busy. Do you take everything you see on TV so literally? It is such a shame that you had to wait an hour for an autograph from a costumed character. Guess what .... thousands of other people had to wait an hour too. And I bet your children were a lot more patient than you were. As for the high prices you mentioned, who in the world would go to the park one hour before closing to begin with? Not only do you pay full price for parking, but you also pay a full day's admission charge. Obviously that's about as smart a thing to do as sawing off your hand. You sound like you're a few fries short of a happy meal ....

If the park were truly "empty," how do you think Disney World would be able to stay in business? It is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world - of course it is going to be busy. Do you take everything you see on TV so literally? It is such a shame that you had to wait an hour for an autograph from a costumed character. Guess what .... thousands of other people had to wait an hour too. And I bet your children were a lot more patient than you were. As for the high prices you mentioned, who in the world would go to the park one hour before closing to begin with? Not only do you pay full price for parking, but you also pay a full day's admission charge. Obviously that's about as smart a thing to do as sawing off your hand. You sound like you're a few fries short of a happy meal ....

If the park were truly "empty," how do you think Disney World would be able to stay in business? It is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world - of course it is going to be busy. Do you take everything you see on TV so literally? It is such a shame that you had to wait an hour for an autograph from a costumed character. Guess what .... thousands of other people had to wait an hour too. And I bet your children were a lot more patient than you were. As for the high prices you mentioned, who in the world would go to the park one hour before closing to begin with? Not only do you pay full price for parking, but you also pay a full day's admission charge. Obviously that's about as smart a thing to do as sawing off your hand. You sound like you're a few fries short of a happy meal ....

If the park were truly "empty," how do you think Disney World would be able to stay in business? It is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world - of course it is going to be busy. Do you take everything you see on TV so literally? It is such a shame that you had to wait an hour for an autograph from a costumed character. Guess what .... thousands of other people had to wait an hour too. And I bet your children were a lot more patient than you were. As for the high prices you mentioned, who in the world would go to the park one hour before closing to begin with? Not only do you pay full price for parking, but you also pay a full day's admission charge. Obviously that's about as smart a thing to do as sawing off your hand. You sound like you're a few fries short of a happy meal ....

So, you saw a Disney commercial and, throwing all common sense aside, expected the park to mimic the conditions of the commercial? Did you really expect to find an empty park, a character standing at the entrance to the castle, and a one hour photo opportunity for your child? Because, if you truly thought the commercial was representative of the park, then you should've expected pixie dust, cameras filming your joyous expressions on the rides, and a fireworks show upon YOUR departure from the park. As far as the characters popping out for a few minutes and then retreating; did you ever stop to consider that the heat inside a costume is almost unbearable? I'm assuming the weather in Florida isn't particularly cool right now, so that would lead me to believe that the Disney cast members were on what is called a "code 90". This means that the characters are REQUIRED by health policies to be "on for 15 and off for 15" so that they don't become a victim of heatstroke. Furthermore, characters are an attraction, therefore they're subject to lines. That's reality. If you didn't want to lug your children around in the hot sun, you should've taken, or rented, a stroller. The only valid complaint I see in this letter is your commentary on the cost for parking.