Disney World Executive Praises Company Despite Cast Members’ Outrage

Even though Walt Disney World Resort and the Walt Disney Company have been contending with protests and tense wage negotiations regarding Cast Members’ pay, some Cast Members are apparently still tooting Disney’s horn.

We recently learned from at least one Cast Member that the “Disney magic” is the only thing keeping them in their current job; being harassed by Disney Park Guests and paid less than a living wage — which has actually forced many Cast Members to live in their cars and struggle to pay for basic necessities like food, shelter, and medication — has taken a toll on many of the Disney employees’ morale.

However, Disney just shared an interview with one of its employees that seems to involve singing the Walt Disney Company’s praises despite the well-publicized complaints against the company! The Disney Parks Blog has just shared an interview with Susan Tagalicod, who is a Disney Vacation Club Member Experience Specialist.

This position is certainly different from that of a Cast Member who works face-to-face with Disney Park Guests in and out every day, but the Disney Vacation Club staff member’s statements about Disney may rankle some Cast Members nonetheless.

According to the blog post, the “Disney dreams” of this employee “began by watching the original Disney dreamer” Walt Disney, on television during The Wonderful World of Disney. 

That love of all things Walt Disney and Disney World led to Susan’s work for the Disney Vacation Club; as the Disney employee puts it, “I am just a small link in a very large chain of magic, but I love being that link.”

“We put on our mouse ears and take that extra step to give Members that magical feeling,” Susan said enthusiastically.

The Disney employee did not seem to express any of the disillusionment or negativity that her co-workers are experiencing in Disney Parks, instead expressing gratitude for “the years of memories and laughter that Disney Vacation Club has given my family” and citing the idea of “helping other Members obtain a lifetime of those same memories and laughter” as inspiration for her day-to-day work.

We have seen many, many Walt Disney World Resort or Walt Disney Company employees openly complaining about their jobs recently, so positivity like this certainly stands out!

Even the Disney CEO himself, Bob Iger, was recently facing backlash after visiting Disney World and praising his employees. Cast Members and Disney fans were quick to point out the hypocrisy of his praise for the employees’ hard work (which he shared on social media) despite his refusal to pay them a living wage.

“This job with Disney Vacation Club, and my career with Disney as a whole… it is all a dream come true,” Susan added in the interview. “And I have Uncle Walt to thank for that.”

As we mentioned before, some Cast Members do still cling to the idea of Disney magic as their motivation while they’re feeling underpaid and abused on the job. These days, however, it looks more and more like Susan is one of the few Disney employees who is still feeling grateful towards “Uncle Walt”!

Have you been paying attention to the wage negotiations between Disney and its employees in recent months?