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It is no secret, in the Disney Fanatic community, that Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort employees (i.e. Cast Members) have some difficult jobs to do.
Cast Members who greet Disney theme park guests have to contend with grumpy visitors, drunk visitors, and even violent visitors — not to mention theme park visitors who actually pose some legitimate security threats.
Disney employees like character performers (who play face characters like Disney Princesses or fur characters like Goofy) have to contend with lecherous guests trying to unlace their dresses or children harassing them.
Walt Disney World Cast Members / Credit: Disney
And for Disney employees who work behind the scenes in areas like maintenance or craft services, the glamour and “Disney magic” is even less apparent!
One such Cast Member, who worked for Disney during his college years, has just spoken up about a particularly disturbing incident that happened during one of his night shifts. It was an incident that actually led to his immediate resignation.
A TikTok user and former Disney employee named Chris was reportedly working at Disney on a 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift.
“This shift is horrible for a number of reasons,” the former Cast Member explained in the TikTok video shown below, calling it “the worst shift” of all.
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At some point in the night after midnight, Chris and another co-worker began deep-cleaning the DOLE Whip machine, which is apparently a very arduous process — and one of the many reasons why this late-night shift is “horrible.”
Dole Whips Credit: Disney
While cleaning the machine, Chris noticed an older female co-worker at the bar, who appeared to be attempting to call a supervisor or “lead” in a panic. Chris finished his work and was about to leave with his co-worker, when they heard a loud noise behind the bar.
They returned to find the distressed female Cast Member trapped underneath the bar’s credit card machine, laying on the floor!
“They had to go get two people to pick her up [because] she was really out of it,” the former Disney worker reminisced grimly.
Not So Magical After All…
“What she said next completely defines what the work environment at Disney was,” he added. Apparently, the woman told Chris the following: “don’t you dare tell anyone this happened.”
Chris said that he agreed to stay quiet, but that he also decided to quit immediately after that night, instead of finishing his week of work.
“She reminded me of my mom,” he said, “I would not want my mom to work at a job where they will work her so hard…at 2 in the morning crying with a credit card machine on top of her.”
“That Job Is Horrible”
“These are the people that literally slave for this company,” the former Disney employee declared. “These are the people that come in every day like me…These people are trying to make a living out of this.”
“That job is horrible,” Chris finished.
Other former or current Disney employees chimed in, commenting on the TikTok video.
“Disney Literally Worked Me to the Bone”
“Disney literally worked me to the bone,” one former employee added mournfully.
“I literally just got hired,” a brand-new Disney employee commented uneasily. “Not the video I wanted to see right before I start.”
This story is particularly relevant now, since Walt Disney World Resort Cast Members went on strike due to their low wages!
Do you know anyone who works for Disney, or who has worked for Disney theme parks in the past? What was your impression of their experience?
