How Much to Disney Worldcast Members Get Paid
Here's how much everyone gets paid at Disney parks
- Most US Disney parks "cast members" work at the "Happiest Place on Earth" for hourly wages.
- We turned to Glassdoor to take a look at what these employees at Walt Disney World and Disneyland say they make.
- A recent improvement for some of the conglomerate's workers includes a union victory in Florida to increase hourly pay to a $15 minimum wage.
- Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.
At the "Happiest Place on Earth," some employee wages are about to change.
We turned to Glassdoor to take a look at what workers at Walt Disney World in Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, say they make. Known as "cast members," these Disney park roles range from line cooks to character performers. Other hourly positions include technical jobs, such as stage technicians and electricians to ensure attractions run smoothly.
Read more: 15 insider facts about working at Walt Disney World only cast members know
We listed job titles with at least 10 salary reports on Glassdoor to ensure the average salaries were based on decent sample sizes. We also looked at the available jobs on Disney's Glassdoor page, as many of the jobs also noted salary estimates for those open roles.
The New York Times reported that, through their unions, workers at Walt Disney World reached a deal last year to increase the park's minimum wage to $15 by 2021. The current state minimum wage for Florida is just $8.46, while California's is higher at $12 per hour as of January.
Because these latest increases were implemented very recently, some positions' salary averages we found may not reflect the new minimums just yet, as the self-reported data we looked at spans the past few years.
Amidst these recent improvements, Disney heiress Abigal Disney remains active in challenging the nation's current wealth disparity, including her continued criticism of current Disney CEO Bob Iger's massive salary. In an attempt to combat disproportionate wages, Disney is one of 17 other ultra-wealthy individuals to sign a letter begging for a wealth tax. According to previous reporting from Business Insider's Shana Lebowitz, Iger earns a CEO pay of over $36 million while the median pay of his employees is around $46,000.
Keep reading for a look at what US Disney park employees make. Positions are listed in order of hourly pay; the few roles where only an annual salary was available are noted at the end.
Housekeepers say they earn an average of $10 per hour.
Housekeepers are responsible for maintaining guest rooms in each of the parks' hotels.
Glassdoor average base salary: $10 per hour
Custodial staff members also say they earn around $10 per hour.
Custodians in the parks help keep the properties clean, from inside venues to outside streets.
Glassdoor average base salary: $10 per hour
Cooks at the park restaurants say they earn anywhere from $11 to $20 per hour during their shifts.
Cooks — including line cooks — work at each of the Disney Parks restaurants. Active listings on Glassdoor advertise open positions for both a full-time lead cook with a starting rate of $20.35 per hour and a chef's assistant. The latter listing notes that while chef assistants receive a starting rate of $17 per hour, they will be eligible for the new starting rate of $18.00 per hour effective this September.
Glassdoor average base salary: $11 to $20 per hour
Perhaps the best-known cast members, the infamous Disney character performers say they earn an average of $11 per hour.
Disney character performers visit with guests and attend special events such as parades and live shows. Interested workers must audition and meet certain requirements, such as height, for desired characters.
Glassdoor average base salary: $11 per hour
Bus drivers say they earn between $13 and $14 an hour on average.
Bus drivers are responsible for transporting visitors to and from hotel locations and other attractions, often across different theme parks.
Glassdoor average base salary: $13 per hour
Guest experience managers say they earn around $45,000 per year for an annual salary.
Guest experience managers, also known as guest service managers, are charged with visitor satisfaction. Glassdoor listed these positions in both the retail and restaurant sectors.
Glassdoor average base salary: $42,387 to $49,490 per year
Marissa Perino is a former editorial intern covering executive lifestyle. She previously worked at Cold Lips in London and Creative Nonfiction in Pittsburgh. She studied journalism and communications at the University of Pittsburgh, along with creative writing. Find her on Twitter: @mlperino.
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How Much to Disney Worldcast Members Get Paid
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-everyone-gets-paid-at-disney-parks-2019-8