If you have never worked for a theme park, you might imagine that any job at one, even cleaning toilets or scooping ice cream, would be amazing. It is exactly this kind of thinking that draws people to Disney’s College Program, entices kids growing up all over Central Florida to apply at the parks for their first job, and convinces retirees to “live the dream.”
While theme park work definitely has its perks, such as free admission and awesome discounts, many are shocked to find out that it’s still hot, backbreaking, difficult work for low wages. Even with all that in mind, however, some theme park jobs just seem like they would be incredibly cool. Yet surprisingly, some of the ones that seem the best are actually among the worst. Here are 5 Disney and Universal jobs that aren’t really all they’re cracked up to be.
1. Character performer
We all know that the characters are real, right? But several times per year, large groups of people compete to become “friends” with them. What better way to share the magic than to help little kids and adults live out their dreams of meeting their favorite pirate or princess? People often imagine idyllic scenes of smiling families and perfect poses.
The reality just can’t match the fantasy. Even those who are selected to be friends with face characters, such as the Disney princesses, also have to do time in fur. And those costumes are heavy, in some cases weighing upwards of 40 pounds, and often unbalanced, with most of the weight in the head. They are also extremely hot. Try wrapping yourself up in a mattress covered with fur and then stepping out into an August Florida afternoon.
It isn’t all fun and games with the crowd, either. Crying children, physically violent teens, and adult men with grabby hands are just a few of the things that character performers have to contend with on a daily basis. Even those in full-on gore as scare actors for Halloween Horror Nights are not immune. Getting slapped or punched, or having things thrown at you, is all part of the job.
2. Non-spieling ride attendant
What’s your favorite ride? How many times have you ridden it in a row? How long has the music been stuck in your head? While spielers have their own challenges with keeping their material fresh while going around and around in circles all day, at least they are performing for a crowd, which can be an energy boost like no other.
But those who aren’t spieling? They play an absolutely vital role, taking responsibility for guest safety through all parts of the attraction, but the highly repetitive work can induce brain fog. Checking safety restraints, pushing buttons, and loading wheelchairs can be confusing during training, but quickly become second nature—leaving plenty of time to contemplate what in the world you’re doing with your life…or at least to be thankful you’re not spending the next two hours walking the moving platform at the ride exit.
3. Halloween Horror Nights staff
Despite the likelihood of being manhandled at some point during the event, Halloween Horror Nights scare actor is legitimately one of the best theme park jobs around. Working as what is known as “staff,” however, is a whole different ballgame. These are the people responsible for maintaining queue lines and guest flow in and around the haunted houses and shows.
Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place! The entertainment department, including the actors and directors, works tirelessly to put on a top-notch show. They want guests to have time to fully experience it. The art department puts a tremendous amount of work into creating realistic props and sets, and would like guests to slow down enough to appreciate it. But staff’s direct bosses are concerned with one thing and one thing only: pushing as many guests through each house every hour as is humanly possible. This leads to staff members being required to perform such guest-annoying activities as waving people through with a flashlight and yelling at them to keep moving.
Of course, these same over-worked staff members are also the ones who have to deal with guests complaining about both the length of the lines and the fact that they are being herded through the houses. Most of them are regular Universal employees pulling double-duty, working their normal jobs during the day and the event at night. They can’t just quit, or even cut back their hours, or they risk repercussions that could affect their regular jobs. It’s a tough position to be in.
4. Outdoor foods or merchandise carts
At first glance, it seems like working on the streets of your favorite theme park would be a dream come true. You get to watch the parades and shows, talk to happy people on vacation, and have some amount of autonomy over your own stand or cart.
However, these positions have ridiculously high turnover for a reason. They’re out in all kinds of weather. The job requires a great deal of standing in one spot with very little opportunity to move around—except for dragging a heavy cart out in the morning and back to storage in the evening. There’s invariably a long line during their favorite part of the parade, and those happy vacationers aren’t always so happy when things don’t go their way.
5. Any of the flagship stores
World of Disney, Main Street Emporium, Mouse Gear…if you’re a Disney fan, you have probably whiled away more than a few hours checking out the dazzling array of merchandise these shopping destinations hold. You and everyone else! These shops stay open long after the rest of the park is closed for the night. During inclement weather, they’re packed with people in plastic ponchos dripping all over the merchandise. The pace is frenetic, and often doesn’t let up all day. You have to REALLY like both people and selling stuff to enjoy your time at one of these locations—whether you really like Disney is almost immaterial, since you won’t have much time to even notice the merchandise.
Of course, we all have our own personalities and interests. One person’s most hated job is someone else’s dream position. In general, however, these are among the jobs that are most often named as the best by people who have never worked them, and the worst by people who have. What do you think? Did I put your favorite theme park job on this list, or leave out a position you can’t stand? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
