The Working Experience

Of course, we couldn't talk about the Working Experience without talking about the Earning Experience!         Basically, you'll have at least five days of training before you actually begin working, this being a minimum of five days a week, 8 hours a day, and two days off. This is only followed during the times when the parks aren't that full. Other than that (specially the period between Christmas and New Year's) you'll have plenty of overtime and double time (if you're up to it). You get paid every Thursday, and you can either cash your check or open a bank account. Want a tip? Pay close attention when clocking in and out, or else you won't get paid right.        Since you'll be a Cast Member, you'll have the privilege of using the backstage entrances and the system of tunnels that run under the park (this last only existing at the MK and at Epcot, although they're VERY different in size). Personally, I didn't like this too much, since I thought seeing all the backstage works and the characters at Wardrobe would ruin the Magic for me. And actually, it DIDN'T. I used to see this CM walking around carrying King Louie on her back and I'd get SO depressed, but when I got up at the park and ran into him, he just WAS the REAL King Louie! Does it make any sense?        You'll think you'll never know your way around, specially through the tunnels, but you soon learn all the tricks and shortcuts, and you'll get to miss everything once you get back.

This extra bit of inforation about lunch, breaks and such, I can only account for my experience as a Custodial MK Cast Member. We had two breaks of 15 minutes and one kunch break of 45 minutes during an 8-hour day. There are many break rooms throughout the park (behind the Tiki Room, for instance) with vending machines, and two cafeterias: a big one under Pinocchio's, with meals and snacks, and a small one behind the Galaxy Palace Theater, serving only snacks. Depending on where you work and on what you feel like eating, I recommend the Mouseketeria, the big cafeteria.

And what exactly does a Custodial Cast Member do, anyway? Well, basically, he walks around his area, making sure everything is nice and tidy. He'll talk to guests, to see if they're ok. He'll help them if they need anything, like finding a lost child or a misplaced item. First thing in the morning, he'll push water left by the night cleaning team, clean the drinking fountains and the pay phones, dry up the benches, etc. During the Summer Program, I heard they also take care of bathrooms, checking if they're not flooding, picking up any papers left on the floor and replacing paper towels, toilet papers and soap.       It's of my humble opinion that this was the best job EVER. I used to watch the parades and the fireworks everyday, I talked to guests and played with kids all the time, I even goofed around with some characters! And since our costume was the same to all the areas of the park, when there wasn't much movement and no one was watching, we would sneak out of our area and take a walk around the WHOLE park! (Good times, huh, Randy?)

And finally...