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It takes thousands of Cast Members to make the Walt Disney World Resort as magical as it is. From Part-Time to Full-Time as well as Seasonal and Disney College Program participants, each Cast Member has their own unique experience with the Walt Disney Company.
For years, Walt Disney World Resort Cast Members fought to raise the minimum wage to $15.00, citing the increasing costs of living in Central Florida.
Additionally, the Walt Disney Company has promised to build affordable Cast Member housing nearby the Walt Disney World Resort as economic turmoil leaves thousands homeless in the Orlando area.
Unfortunately for some Cast Members, this isn’t enough. A former Walt Disney World Cast Member took to social media this week to reminisce about her time at the Disney Parks.
Related: Cast Members Furious With Disney Over Proposed Attendance Policy Change
TikTok user @dm.millz shared a video compilation of herself working at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the caption:
me realizing i’d have to leave my dream job because i couldn’t afford to live
@dm.millz iykyk #fyp #disneyworld
Other former Disney Park Cast Members spoke up in the comments. TikTok user @aurrasing wrote:
I loved working at Disney so much. I once cried from being so happy when I was working. But yeah, sometimes you just gotta buy groceries and pay bills
Another said they feel “homesick” for their time as a Walt Disney World Cast Member and keep their name tag pin as a point of pride.
“Terrible. Disney needs to pay a living wage,” an anonymous TikTok user wrote.
Unfortunately, this problem isn’t unique to Walt Disney World. Other Orlando-area theme Parks remain short-staffed following COVID-19 closures and struggle to offer competitive compensation to attract new Team Members.
TikTok user @foxybunnyhunter_29 said she worked at Universal Orlando Resort, but couldn’t keep working there due to low pay. “It was my dream job,” she wrote.
It’s always sad to see passionate Cast Members leave Walt Disney World when they don’t want to. Walt Disney put it best — Cast Members make the magic happen:
“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” -Walt Disney.
Have you had any memorable Cast Member interactions at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.