Hello!!! My DD18 is moving to Florida - the Orlando area - in July and we were thinking - of course - that she should work at WDW! This thread may be in the wrong place, if so, mods please direct me to the right place! We've been looking on the Disneyworld website and have seen the awesome benefits to working in the World, but we were wondering if any of you could shed some light on the pay scale. I know it will vary tremendously, but I feel she would probably start in something like food service or merchandising and would like to know the worst case scenario before she tries to plan a future involving work there. Of course she would love to work her way up to 'being a character" but hey, ya gotta start somewhere!

Any info or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Pay is definitely not the best ever. I am not sure of the current starting pay, but I would think it is about $7.00 per hour. The generic Attractions Host/Hostess includes my position, which is basically a Park Entry Turnstiles Greeter. Under the new contract for "permanent Part Time" my pay rate is the same as full time in the same position. As I am in my 3rd year of employment my rate is actually $7.67 per hour, so that would be equal to a little less than $16,000 with no overtime. When I am working in a Ticket Booth or Guest Relations (at Typhoon Lagoon) I get an additional 30¢ per hour.

Generally my managers have been very happy to have me. Of course, my Disney income, based on hours worked, is less than 5% of my total income for the year, so they don't want to chase a good worker away.

And being a character is more than likely going to be a full-timer rather than part time. There are two possibilities. A "Face" Character has to meet very specific physical attributes; you can't have a Cinderella who weighs 200 pounds. To be a "Furry" character you have to have incredible stamina; many of the costumes weight 30 pounds, in cool weather you are on 30 minute sets but in hot weather you are in the costume with the head on for 20 minute sets. Unless, of course, you are in a parade.