Last updated 26 June 16 Fun in 2016.
The information I wrote in
previous years was correct when I wrote it. In February Walt Disney World (D)
changed the work requirements for seasonal/casual temporary (CT) employee to
work 150 hours. Therefore, I am trying to work at least 40 hours every quarter.
Ds web site is set up for CTs to enter their availability is orientated toward
working a week at a time, but a day or two a week is best for my schedule. My
current availability is Sundays only and CTs are required to update their
availability quarterly in March, June, September, and December.
I work in Disneys Animal
Kingdom (DAK) Dinoland Boneyard. When I first applied
there were no CT openings in park operations (then called attractions), but I
requested it anyway. So it is still worth filling out an application you
never know what jobs will be available next week. Read my 2008 story to see how
my career started. http://wdw.disneycareers.com
is the web site to apply for D jobs. Review my comment on D employment at the
bottom of this page.
I started working at Disney
in 2008 and worked 14 days see how it all started - Dave in Disney 2008.
I worked 15 days in 2009 - Dave in Disney 2009.
I worked 24 days in 2010 - Dave in Disney 2010
I worked 21 days in 2011 and
started counting hours - Dave in
Disney 2011
I worked 27 days in 2012 - Dave in Disney 2012
I worked 27 days in 2013 - Dave in Disney 2013
I worked 26 days in 2014 Dave in Disney 2014
I worked 24 days in 2015 Dave in Disney 2015
I worked 03 days in 2016
Total days worked in ~8 years 181.
I work at D for the fun of
it. It is really great fun helping people who are having fun, have fun. I have
received many 50% and 40% discounts on rooms, discounts of 35%-40% on
merchandise, 20%-40% discounts on meals, discounts on tours, have received
special considerations at reservation time, provided friends and family free
admission to D, and a million fun times. I should also point out that since I
am working away from home, all my expenses tolls, auto mileage, motel room,
meals (I take the meal per diem rate of $57/day), costume cleaning, etc. are
an employee income tax deduction. Since I also work for a major tax preparation
firm, I use every deduction I can find to help me and my income tax clients get
the largest legal refund.
I am only trained to work in
DAK Dinoland Boneyard which features a playground
area with 9 slides for kids and a dig site where kids can dig for dinosaur
bones. If I can continue to work at least 40 hours a quarter, I see no reason
to request training or work in other areas.
Week 01 12/27/16 - I was
available for work this week but not
scheduled D week numbers are based on pay day, the Thursday following the end
of the work week.
Week 02 01/03/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 03 01/10/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 04 01/17/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 05 01/24/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 06 01/31/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 07 02/07/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 08 02/14/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 09 02/21/16 I was available
for work this week but not scheduled. I was concerned that I was not getting
scheduled and there were no shifts to pick up. So I wrote an email to my boss,
who had 174 working for her, asking for suggestions. Basically she said hang in
there things will get busier. The same day I received her email, I received a
notice from D explaining that now I have to work 150 hours per calendar year.
No quarterly, last 4 quarters counting of workhours.
Week 10 02/28/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 11 03/06/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 12 03/13/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 13 03/20/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 14 03/27/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 15 04/03/16 I was
not available for work this week.
Week 16 04/10/16 I was
not available for work this week.
Week 17 04/17/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled. I started updating my
availability to include Fri, Sat and Sun each week since I was getting no
shifts. There were still no shifts to pick up.
Week 18 04/24/16 I was
not available for work this week.
Week 19 05/01/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 20 05/08/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 21 05/15/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 22 05/22/16 Fri. May 27 and Sat. May 28 12.0 hours total for 2016
12.0 hours
I supported the new show
guiding guests to the seating areas. Friday was the soft opening told to
guests when they entered - of the new Animal Kingdom Rivers of Light show
called Jungle Book: Alive With Magic. It features a 25 Minute show at 9:00
and 10:30 PM on the lake in the middle of the Animal Kingdom. Two seating areas
of about 4,000 have been constructed to view the show. The show consists of
dancers, music, and projections on a water screen. Saturday was the scheduled
opening of the show. I also updated my availability in the break room for any
cast members trying to give away shifts.
Week 23 05/29/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled. On Tue 31May, I received a text
from Rylee asking me to take her shift on Sun 05Jun. I asked her to sign me up
for it. It turns out Rylee was given the day off, but I could not take the
shift because I was not qualified. I sent an email to my new boss asking for
details on how I get qualified again and indicating I was unaware I was not
qualified. That is probably the reason I could not get any scheduled shifts and
yet there was never any notification that I was unqualified. He indicated I
would have to take some training and his trainer would call me. The trainer
called me and set me up for some training on 06/13.
Week 24 06/05/16 I was
available for work this week but not scheduled.
Week 25
06/12/16 Mon. June 13 6.0 hours total for 2016
18.0 hours.
I found out I had about an
hour of training in 6 areas. Most were annual refreshers, but two were training
I should have received in January but did not because I was never scheduled. I
still do not know exactly when I became unqualified. After the training I worked
in the Boneyard for the rest of the shift. I spent some time talking with a
couple on their way from Key West to Alaska. Seems the husband, at 47, had just
completed 30 years in the US Coast Guard and was retiring. His wife had just
accepted a position in Alaska to manage a veterinarians office. We talked
about various places he had been stationed and bemoaned the fact that the Coast
Guard gave Governors Island to New York. He had been stationed there for 3
years and I had spent many, many nights there while visiting New York when I
was in the US Army.
Week 26 06/19/16 I was
available for work this week and not scheduled. I have started updating my
availability to include Sun, Mon, Fri, and Sat.
Week 27-52 It was a busy
time and I tried to get my 150 hours before year end. I just did not have time
to update this but did get 156 hours by year end.
It seems at D there are 3
types of cast members, full time, part time, and seasonal (also called casual
temporary (CT)). If you decide something like this would be fun for you, go to http://wdw.disneycareers.com and apply
for a seasonal position. You can also call the Walt Disney World Job line at
1-407-828-1000. As you go through the
application, please remember that Dave Flynn DAK 448044 is the cast member who
recruited you. Also, as you can read in my 2008 story, things change; seasonal
does not mean a season, 6 to 8 weeks is always 6 to 8 weeks, full availability
does not mean 5 days, the hiring procedure this week is not the same as last
week, the jobs available this week are not the same as last week, my hiring
experience will not be the same as yours, etc. My job category is Operations
(was Attractions) and it took me months from the time I first went to casting
until a position opened up (Dave in
Disney 2008). I accepted the position before I knew what it was; again read
about my application process in my 2008 story. Also remember, Dave Flynn DAK
448044 recruited you.