So you think you want to be a Cast Member. Visiting Disney is so satisfying, many avid fans yearn to take the next step and make the Disney life their everyday norm. Disney World is the biggest employer in Orlando with around 70,000 employees. If you think you’re ready for a spot among them, check for these signs that you have what it takes to be a Cast Member.
You’re always smiling
Image: Alena Navarro-Whyte, Flickr (license)
Disney Cast Members are known for being eternally cheerful. If you have to fight past frown lines to get a bright smile, the life of a bright and perky CM may not be for you. If your neutral face is a peaceful grin and your first reaction to strangers is to greet them brightly, then you’re just what Disney is looking for.
While CMs take cheerfulness to a particularly high level, their job isn’t that difference from other customer service positions. If you’re employee of the month in a restaurant or retail location, and know how to smile at every customer who reaches your counter, your skills will transfer perfectly to the CM life.
You see the glass half full
Image: Gerald Angeles, Flickr (license)
Eeyore attitudes don’t fly at Disney. There’s almost always something to drain your glass of optimism. The parks may seem perfect because of the careful sheen that CMs put on them, but from the inside you’ll always know when something is wrong. Your audioanimatronics aren’t working perfectly, your queue hasn’t dipped below an hour all day, a hurricane is threatening, one guest scraped their knee, and another has lost a child…but you’re still looking at the sunny side and offering up easy solutions as though there isn’t a single thing wrong.
If you have the persistence to push through and keep your eye on the bright side no matter what disasters are pending, then you’re fit for the job of a Cast Member.
You never let go of your childhood
Image: Ashley, Flickr (license)
Disney is all about a life of fantasy, and when you slip into your costume and step on stage, you become a part of that show. The happiest Cast Members are those who still let their inner child out to play on a regular basis. This job is perfect for acting a little goofy (or even rubbing elbows with him!). If you thrill to the idea of having a light saber battle with a storm trooper, speaking in pirate, or discussing princess dresses all day, you’ll do just fine at Disney.
You can name all Seven Dwarfs
One of the very first things you do as a new Cast Member is attend the class known as Traditions. Alongside all the information on corporate culture and company policy, you’ll get a healthy dose of Disney trivia. As a Cast Member, you’re expected to know the ins and outs of the brand. If you’re not sure who owns Shrek (not Disney at all!), or which princess wears pink, you might want to reconsider a future as a CM. If you’re well-versed in Disney trivia, and know Walt’s background like the back of your hand, you’ll fit in perfectly at the company.
“Let It Go” still makes you smile
Do you shudder or grin when “Let It Go” goes through your head? Overplayed though it might be, hits like this are something that Cast Members need to smile to again and again, without cringing or reaching for the ear plugs. If you sing “You’re Welcome” when someone says thank you, and can hum “Hi-Ho” on the way to work every day, you’re on track for a long future with Disney.
Repetition never bothers you
If you get bored or frustrated with too much repetition, you may want to steer clear of a job in the theme parks. Though working at Disney is exciting at first, it can get just as monotonous as anything else. Most CM roles are extremely repetitive. You’ll make the same spiel and push the same buttons every couple minutes to launch guests on the attraction. You’ll ring up the same ear hats and tees over and over. Even high-interaction positions only have so much originality. You may talk to hundreds of guests in a day, but nearly all of them will ask the same three or four questions.
Your surroundings in Disney get repetitive as well. You won’t notice the short loop of area soundtracks when you’re a guest, but as a Cast Member you’ll hear the same sound effects, music, and dialogue dozens of times in a day. If you’re comfortable with a bit of monotony, however, you’ll do just fine.
Your look is very low key
Image: Maria Morri, Flickr (license)
The Disney Look is a major stumbling block for some hopeful hires. You can’t have visible tattoos, unnatural hair color, bright nails, or even heavy eye liner. You’ll need to maintain a well-groomed appearance that’s very neutral and low key. If you can’t live without your wild manicures or mohawks, you won’t make it as a Cast Member. It’s all about a classic appearance that would have blended right in with conservative styles of decades past. If you wish you’d been born in the 50’s, you’ll get your chance for some very retro styles when you’re on stage with Disney.
Do you think you’re fit for life as a CM? If you fit the bill, there’s almost surely a spot open. Head to sunny Florida fill out an app and see where you might fit in.
