“Can They Also Be Paid for Their Dedication?”: Fans Celebrate Cast Members, Call Out Disney

Disney Cast Members are the heart of the Disney experience. They form the backbone on which the Disney Parks are able to achieve and deliver the highest quality of entertainment to Guests. From character meet ‘n’ greets to keeping the Parks running, Disney Cast Members make Disney magic for Guests on the regular.

One of the ways that Guests can show their appreciation for Cast Members is through the Mobile Cast Compliments service on the My Disney Experience app.

Related: Does Disney Fire Cast Members for Being “Too Good?”

Cast Compliments

While there has been some debate on how useful the Cast Compliments feature actually is, it’s become clear over the years that Disney is paying attention to these inputs from Guests. In fact, one Guest shared a story that showed even Disney CEO Bob Iger got wind of their Cast Compliment.

Recently, the service hit a milestone; as journalist Scott Gustin shared, more than 1 million Mobile Cast Compliments have been submitted since the app feature launched almost two years ago in October 2021.

Disney says more than 1 million Mobile Cast Compliments have been submitted since the app feature launched in October 2021. pic.twitter.com/m7GBg6KMuX

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 20, 2023

Not just this, Gustin also shared photos of how Disney has been “recognizing” Cast Members who got the highest number of compliments for their “incredible Guest service.”

Notably, one of the most mentioned names in the Twitter thread was “Christian from LA;” the Disney Cast Member was recently trending after an entitled Guest called him out.

Disney says Cast Members who received "some of the highest number of compliments were recently recognized for their incredible guest service." pic.twitter.com/wXzOopuE78

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 20, 2023

However, while many Guests are certainly celebrating the recognition Cast Compliments have brought, some highlighted a glossed-over aspect of recognition: financial compensation.

Multiple fans expressed they hoped that Disney would give them “decent pay” or a bonus for this work.

One fan commented, “Nice, can they also be paid for their dedication or service while they’re at it?”

The issue of Cast Members being underpaid is one that has been covered extensively, and this year, the Walt Disney World Cast Member union finally came out victorious, securing a notable increase in their pay and better contracts after months of protests and failed negotiations.

At present there has been no word from Disney on whether these Cast Members will also be receiving monetary recognition along with the certificates.