Neither Florida nor Disney World is Helping Cast Members

Cast members are an essential part of the magical experience at Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida. They play a crucial role in bringing the various attractions and shows to life for visitors. They are the heart and soul of the Disney experience and work tirelessly to ensure that guests have a memorable and enjoyable time during their visit to the parks.

How Much Do Cast Members Make at Disney?

Wages for cast members can vary based on multiple aspects like as the role they fulfill within the Disney Parks, the experience level that their their role entails, and the location within the Disney property where they are employed. This said, theoretically, Florida’s cost of living and housing market should also play a significant role in determining how much cast members make.

The Walt Disney Company has initiatives in place to provide attainable housing options for its employees to help them maintain a good standard of living. This focus on providing affordable housing theoretically demontrates a commitment to supporting the well-being of cast members in Florida.

Understanding how much cast members make at Disney is essential in comprehending the overall quality of life for these valued team members.

When it comes to hard numbers, per websites like Zip Recruiter the average Disney World cast members make around $34, 916, with a monthly pay of $2909. So how does this translate into hard numbers for Florida and Orlando?

Related: Ron DeSantis Bans Certain Disney Cast Members From Public Spaces

The Cost of Living in Florida Increases Steadily

Living conditions for cast members in Florida have been one of the most oft-discussed issues for a long time, considering the high cost of living in the state. The Walt Disney World Resort, is located in Orange County, Florida, and draws in employees from diverse backgrounds from all over the country who often face challenges in finding affordable housing in the area.

In cities like Miami, for example, a study by Bloomberg explained that “New Yorkers who left for sunny Miami in 2023 saved almost 30% less than they would have if they moved in 2019,” citing the increased cost of real estate in Florida.

In Orlando, the average price when it comes to real estate is $244/square foot, which is up 6.6% from the previous year. Further, in the past eight years, Orlando’s real estate prices have increased by an average of 113 percent, from $175,221 in 2014 to $374,016 in 2022.

Disney does make some effort to help cast members out. For example, Flamingo Crossings Village is one housing option Disney offers for cast members. The community offers affordable housing solutions for employees, making it easier for them to live close to work.

However, there is a catch. While this certainly is an attainable housing option through which Disney aims to support its team members and ensure that they can focus on their roles without worrying about housing issues, there are some who believe that Flamingo Crossings Village is not all its cut out to be, especially for its price.

In addition to providing housing, Disney does also offer various benefits and programs to enhance cast members’ lives. Think like the Disney College Program, which allows any Disney College Program participant to gain valuable work experience while being provided housing and working with Disney.

Ron DeSantis Bans Disney Cast Members From Florida

But, the reality is that while many of these initiatives work in theory, the hard numbers demonstrate that Disney’s payment doesn’t quite match up to the increases in costs of living in the city of Orlando, and certainly not in the state of Florida. Because of this, many cast members have reported finding themselves homeless from the lack of adequate pay which even saw many of them taking to the streets in protest, in recent years.

Now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s recent law which bans homeless populations from public places could start adversely affecting these same populations of homeless Disney World cast members who will have no choice but to stay away from some of Orlando’s and Florida’s public places.

So, all of this begs the question, what would a living wage in the Sunshine State look like?

What Does a Living Wage Look Like in Florida?

Ultimately, the living conditions of cast members in Florida, particularly those working at Walt Disney World Resort, are a vital aspect of their overall well-being. Taking care of these employees will only have a positive impact on the Disney Park business in the long run.

Ensuring that cast members have suitable living conditions is not just a matter of corporate responsibility for Disney; it is also crucial for maintaining a happy and motivated workforce.

MIT’s living wage calculator argues that “a livable salary for a single person in Florida with no children is about $46,000 before taxes.” Compare that with the actual salary for the average Disney World employee. Now, due to the union protests over the last year Disney employees will be seeing a raise over the next few years, but the question still remains will this be enough?

Life is becoming more expensive by the year, and the Walt Disney Company needs to remember to make sure its cast members who keep the parks running and thriving are as taken care of as executives sitting in their comfortable offices in Burbank, California.