Have you seen this little documentary trailer yet? It is short. Go ahead and watch. We'll resume at the end! :)
Ever notice how I am always going to Florida? Yeah, when I lived in Florida I was never able to go anywhere. My mom had to pay for me to come home for visits. My mom had to pay for me to move home. I had a free place to stay in Key West once for a mini-vacation with friends. I couldn't afford the gas to get down there. I had a hotel room booked in Savannah, Georgia for a long weekend. Once the time came, I couldn't afford to get there. Or if I could, I wouldn't have been able to eat anything once there. I have been fascinated by the space program since grade school. The whole time I lived in Florida I never went to the Kennedy Space Center even once. Because I couldn't afford it. If you look at the photos of my time living there you will see that I got very skinny for a while ... because I was living paycheck to paycheck and was eating only dinner. One meal a day - yet I was working outside in the Florida sun where I would walk on average from 8 to 9 miles a day while helping guests and pushing around insanely heavy rafts. Damn - if only I could get that thin again! ;)
In early September 2004 I went into the office of my two managers. They were great ladies. Pat helped me get my position in the Labor Office after working with me out in the park when I was just an intern. I really loved my job. I liked going to work every day. I was proud of what I did, where I worked, what the company stood for. But sometimes pride isn't enough. I can still see the look of concern on Pat and Patti's faces when I asked if I could shut the door, then turned around with tears going down my face. Telling them I was hanging up my ears and moving home to Oregon was the hardest decision I ever had to make. A month later when it was my last day - well, I pretty much cried through the entire thing. I wasn't ready to go. But I had to.
Six year later, I am confident I made the right decision. Now I am able to travel places. I certainly am not starving. ;) I go back to Florida as often as I can to see my dear friends that I had to leave behind. I am back near my family. I am finally not struggling!
The first time I worked for Disney, I made less than $6 per hour. When I went back after college to begin what I hoped would be my lifelong career, I started at $6.45/hour. I became an attractions trainer almost immediately - which gave me an extra 25 cents per hour when I was training. Woohoo! ..... yeah. In 2003 I got the new job in the Labor Office. This was a higher pay scale. I had a desk. I had air conditioning! I also had to go buy a new wardrobe to meet the strict codes of the Disney Look -- which may I say are NOT strict at all compared to back in 1997 when I got my start!
After three and a half years with the company, a promotion, and raises, when I moved home to Oregon I was still not even making $8.50 per hour.
I am very anti-union. I have a fit every month at my current job when they take union dues out of my paycheck. However, this little youtube video - well, I can't disagree with what they show in it. I'd be curious to see the entire documentary if I ever had a chance.
Mickey will always be with me. I mean, for real. He won't go anywhere. He is in my blood. It cost me $50 at Cocoa Beach back in October of 1997 when I had him tattooed on my lower back. Traced him off of a paycheck actually! Hey - did I ever tell you about my $7 paycheck?? True story!
Anyway, that's all I have to say on it. I really love do Disney (but not Miley Cyrus, High School Music, the Jonas Brothers, etc...). I have no animosity toward the company at all. I still get sad thinking about leaving. If I could, I would still be there. But then how would I ever be able to have my one child if I can't even feed myself?? Now maybe I stand a chance at being a normal human being!
I've heard about the documentary but never got a chance to see the trailer, thanks for posting it! I'm not up with all the facts in the situation, just know that they're in contract talks with the union. I also know CM's get paid hardly anything. :( But, do we know what employees at Universal and the other parks get paid? Is it comparable to WDW? It's sad, the CMs are who really bring the Disney magic to the guests and should definitely be compensated for it. :(
ReplyDeleteI would imagine the other parks are probably comparable to Disney - but I honestly have no idea. I mean you do get good perks ... but that mostly just being free admission and a Main Gate pass.... and of course discounts to spend your money at Disney - which I fully took advantage of! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt really was the time of my life working there. I tried to take advantage of all the things they would offer - Cast outings, picnics, etc.... But could I have stayed there and had a family? I don't think so. But then I also did not want to have a child in the public school system there - so that was another issue on its own.
And of course I still don't have my child. And I'm single. But whatever - that's okay! I have a plan, dammit! ;)
It's honestly my dream to work for Disney. I know people say it loses the magic if you become a CM but I've heard so many stories where people say it hasn't (like you!). I think it just depends on the person. Right now, the dream job isn't in the cards...but who knows what will come along later on down the road. And yes, I have a similar plan like you too, dammit! :) It's just taking longer than expected...*sigh* :)
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